Development of a dsDNA glycogen binding aptamer

该研究项目是DNA适体的开发，它可以特异性地与糖原分子结合。糖原是植物糖原纳米颗粒的主要成分。这些纳米颗粒是由位于安大略省圭尔夫的工业合作伙伴Mirexus生物技术公司生产的。该公司发明了一种从甜玉米中提取天然植物糖原纳米颗粒的工艺。糖原DNA适配体的开发将使Mirexus能够从生物和环境样品中检测、量化和纯化植物糖原纳米颗粒，并允许在环境和生物样品中进行天然和修饰纳米颗粒的稳定性和降解测试；监管事务所需的关键知识。此外，糖原特异性适配体可以提供一种将其他小分子、靶向部分或生物制剂拴在植物糖原纳米颗粒上的方法，从而加速糖原纳米颗粒新用途的研究。Mirexus在纳米颗粒技术方面的扩展将导致对纳米颗粒的需求增加，公司的发展，最终为加拿大人创造更多的高科技就业机会，从而直接造福加拿大经济。

The research project is the development of DNA aptamers, which specifically bind to glycogen molecules. Glycogen is the main component of phytoglycogen nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are produced by an industrial partner, Mirexus Biotechnologies, based in Guelph, ON, The company has created a process to extract naturally occurring phytoglycogen nanoparticles from sweet corn. The development of the DNA aptamers to glycogen would enable Mirexus to detect, quantify, and purify the phytoglycogen nanoparticles from biological and environmental samples and allow to conduct stability and degradation testing of native and modified nanoparticle within environmental and biological samples; the key knowledge required for regulatory affairs. Furthermore, glycogen specific aptamers can accelerate research of novel uses for glycogen nanoparticles by providing a means of tethering other small molecules, targeting moieties, or biologics to phytoglycogen nanoparticles. Mirexus's expansion of nanoparticle technologies will lead to increased demand for the nanoparticles, growth of the company, and ultimately, creation of more high-tech jobs for Canadians thereby directly benefiting the Canadian economy.