Nucleic acid aptamers for molecular recognition applications in agriculture

用于农业分子识别应用的核酸适体

• 批准号: RGPIN-2021-03817
• 负责人: DeRosa, Maria
• 金额: $ 6.85万
• 依托单位: Carleton University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=747846
• 关键词: Nucleic; acid; aptamers; molecular; recognition

The UN's Zero Hunger sustainable development goal is to "achieve food security" and "promote sustainable agriculture". Food security exists when all people "have access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food". Chemistry can play a key role in addressing sustainable food security by developing new methods and tools to improve the efficiency with which crops receive vital nutrients, to protect crops from pests and stressors, and to monitor food safety and quality from farm to fork. Aptamers are DNA strands capable of selective, high affinity binding to a molecular target. They serve as the building blocks for biosensors, as targeting agents for drug delivery, and as inhibitors and therapeutics. The goal of this research program is to develop aptamer tools for advancing precision agriculture and food security through three aims: 1) Rhizosphere biomarker aptamers for biosensing: The thin region of soil in contact with roots, known as the rhizosphere, is a complex environment laden with chemical information about the interplay between the plant, soil, and microbes. The root signals found here are valuable clues for assessing the state of the crop and soil. Aptamer tools for quantifying these compounds could provide useful information on crop health and can be used to monitor and respond to localized crop conditions. This research axis will build on our expertise in aptamer development and their integration into low-cost, point-of-use tests. The combination of our expertise in aptamers and nano-biosensing gives us a solid foundation to develop tools for monitoring these biomarkers in complex soil medium. 2) Plant surface aptamers for targeted delivery: Aptamers have been applied as components of drug-carriers for their ability to deliver therapies to targeted cellular locations, including across biological barriers. Targeting aptamer technology for delivery of chemicals across plant surfaces would improve efficiency of agrochemicals. This research axis will apply our expertise with other delivery aptamers, including those able to cross the blood-brain-barrier, to unlock new transporters for plant treatments. 3) Aptamers for improved stress protection in crops: Crops are susceptible to stresses like heat and drought, and direct injury such as protein aggregates within the plant cells can result. Aptamers able to prevent protein aggregation in crops could be exploited for improving plant stress-tolerance. This research axis will apply our expertise in developing aptamer-based protein aggregation inhibitors for Parkinson's disease to methods to find new tools to help reduce crop losses. Canada has the technology and talent to be the global leader in agricultural innovation. Canada is the world's 5th largest agricultural exporter and agriculture contributes more than $100B annually to our economy. The research proposed here will provide both the fundamental knowledge as well the expert trainees equipped to propel the smart farm of the future.

联合国“零饥饿”可持续发展目标是“实现粮食安全”和“促进可持续农业”。当所有人“都能获得充足、安全和有营养的食物”时，就存在粮食安全。化学可以通过开发新的方法和工具在解决可持续粮食安全问题上发挥关键作用，以提高作物获得重要营养的效率，保护作物免受虫害和压力，并监测从农场到叉子的食品安全和质量。适配子是能够选择性、高亲和力地与分子靶标结合的DNA链。它们是生物传感器的基石，是药物输送的靶向剂，也是抑制剂和治疗剂。这项研究计划的目标是开发适配子工具，通过三个目标推进精准农业和粮食安全：1)用于生物传感的根际生物标记适配子：与根接触的薄土壤区域，即所谓的根际，是一个复杂的环境，其中包含有关植物、土壤和微生物之间相互作用的化学信息。这里发现的根信号对于评估作物和土壤的状况是有价值的线索。用于量化这些化合物的适配子工具可以提供有关作物健康的有用信息，并可用于监测和应对局部作物状况。这一研究轴心将建立在我们在适体开发以及将其整合到低成本、使用点测试方面的专业知识的基础上。我们在适配子和纳米生物传感方面的专业知识相结合，为我们开发在复杂土壤介质中监测这些生物标志物的工具奠定了坚实的基础。2)用于靶向传递的植物表面适配子：适配子已被用作药物载体的组成部分，因为它们能够将治疗传递到靶细胞位置，包括跨越生物屏障。将适体技术用于通过植物表面输送化学品将提高农用化学品的效率。这一研究轴心将应用我们对其他递送适配子的专业知识，包括那些能够跨越血脑屏障的适配子，以解锁用于植物治疗的新转运体。3)提高作物抗逆性的适配子：作物容易受到高温和干旱等逆境的影响，并可能造成植物细胞内蛋白质聚集体等直接伤害。能够阻止作物蛋白质聚集的适配子可以被用来提高植物的抗逆性。这个研究轴将把我们在开发基于适体的帕金森病蛋白质聚集抑制剂方面的专业知识应用于寻找新的工具来帮助减少作物损失的方法。加拿大拥有成为全球农业创新领先者的技术和人才。加拿大是世界第五大农产品出口国，每年农业对我国经济的贡献超过1000亿美元。这里提出的研究将提供基础知识以及为推动未来智能农场而准备的专家学员。