Generation of Aptamer-Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Hybrid Materials

分子识别（特异性识别化合物的能力）是分析科学的一个非常重要的特征。通常情况下，化合物特异性识别来自酶、抗体和DNA等生物元素。适配体是DNA的短链。虽然在识别生物分子方面具有优异的性能，但性能和环境稳定性较低，这可能会影响它们的使用。退化尤其是个大问题。为了解决这些贬义问题，新一代的人工识别材料已经开发出来。最前沿的是一种叫做分子印迹的技术。这包括在聚合物中制造一个小的结合袋，该结合袋在化学上和形状上对目标化合物具有特异性。这些“智能塑料”提供了坚固性和在极端环境条件下工作的能力，但可能缺乏所需的特异性/亲和力。这个项目旨在创造一个“两全其美”的场景。通过稍微改变适体DNA的化学结构，我们打算使用适体作为分子印迹聚合物（MIP）的识别部分。这将通过使适体可聚合来实现，这样它就可以成为聚合物结构的一部分，通过DNA上的可聚合基团将其纳入聚合物基质中。通过这种方式，我们打算保留适体的高亲和力和特异性，同时赋予MIP产生的鲁棒性和增加的形状特异性。聚合物的存在应该保护适体免受环境降解，并可能扩大适体识别的使用范围。

Molecular recognition (the ability to specifically recognise a chemical compound) is a highly important feature of analytical science. More often than not compound specific recognition comes from biological element such as enzymes, antibodies and DNA. Aptamers are short strands of DNA. Whilst the properties in terms of recognition for biological molecules are excellent, the performance and environmental stability is low and this can compromise their uses. In particular degradation is a major problem. To combat these derogatory issues a new generation of artifical recognition materials have been developed. At the forefront is a technology called Molecular Imprinting. This involves making a small binding pocket in a polymer which is chemically and shape specific for the target compound. These "smart plastics" offer the robustness and the ability to work in extreme environmental conditions but can lack the needed specificity/affinity.This project aims to create a "best of both worlds" scenario. By slightly changing the chemical structure of the aptamer DNA we intend to use the aptamer as the recognition part of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). This will be achieved by making the aptamer polymerisable so it can become part of the polymer structure, incorporating it into the polymer matrix via polymerisable groups on the DNA.In this way we intend to preserve the high affinity and specificity of the aptamer whilst imparting the robustness and added shape specificity generated by the MIP. The presence of the polymer should protect the aptamer from environmental degradation and potentially widen the scope of use of aptamers for recognition.