Programmed Aptamer Screening, Characterization, and Rapid Detection for α-Conotoxin MI

Abstract

Conotoxins (CTXs) are a variety of mixed polypeptide toxins, among which α-conotoxin MI (CTX-MI) is the most toxic. Serious toxic symptoms, a lack of counteracting drugs, and cumbersome detection processes have made CTX-MI a hidden danger for humans. One of the obstacles to resolving this problem is the absence of specific recognition elements. Aptamers have shown great advantages in the fields of molecule detection, drug development, etc. In this study, we screened and characterized aptamers for CTX-MI through a programmed process. MBMI-01c, the isolated aptamer, showed great affinity, with an affinity constant (KD) of 0.524 μM, and it formed an antiparallel G-quadruplet (GQ) structure for the specific recognition of CTX-MI. Additionally, an aptasensor based on the biolayer interferometry (BLI) platform was developed and displayed high precision, specificity, and repeatability with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.26 μM. This aptasensor provides a potential tool for the rapid detection of CTX-MI in 10 min. The aptamer can be further developed for the enrichment, detoxification, and biological studies of CTX-MI. Additionally, the programmed process is applicable to screening and characterizing aptamers for other CTXs.

A rapid and sensitive aptamer-based biosensor for beta-lactoglobulin in milk

“…To assess the potential reusability and long-term storage capabilities of the resulting aptasensors, 29 three consecutive assays were conducted utilizing the same sensor, and they were regenerated with NaCl solution (1 M) for 30 seconds. Following this, the response values were measured on days 1, 7, and 15 to determine the stability of the aptasensors.…”

“…The homologous sequences showed a wide range of conserved regions, which were probably related to the recognition of the target. 29 Consequently, a proportional selection process was employed to choose a number of top-ranked reads from each group, resulting in the selection of a total of 14 sequences for the identication of the optimal aptamer (Table S3 †).…”

Chemical Synthesis and Insecticidal Activity Research Based on α-Conotoxins

“…Cone snails are a class of carnivorous mollusks predominantly found in tropical marine environments [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Taxonomically, they are classified under the phylum Mollusca, the class Gastropoda, subclass Neogastropoda, and family Conusidae [ 4 , 5 ].…”

Loop2 Size Modification Reveals Significant Impacts on the Potency of α-Conotoxin TxID

“…The first Cys loop (loop1) of α-conotoxin contains three amino acids that mainly target muscle-type nAChRs, such as GI, MI, SI, SIA, and SII, whereas α4/7-conotoxins are specific inhibitors of neuronal nAChRs [ 31 , 32 , 33 ]. The number of amino acids contained in loop2 of α-conotoxins also affects their functions.…”