Grant number : RG/2019/BT/02
Antibodies are detector molecules produced by the immune system of humans and other related species in response to invading pathogens and cancers. These detector molecules produced by living cells are isolated and are used for various molecular detection purposes outside living systems. Common examples include using antibodies to detect the presence of NS1 antigen in the serum of suspected dengue patients. Despite the usefulness of antibodies, their production, particularly at the commercial level, is a costly process, making antibodies a costly molecular reagent.
“Aptamers” are synthetic molecules that have received recent attention for their ability to replace conventional antibodies as detector molecules. Aptamers have the convenience of being produced completely through synthetic approaches, making their production quite cost-effective. Also, these molecules claim to have a longer shelf life, resistance to temperature variations, and the ability to be chemically modified, making them an ideal substitute for conventional antibodies. Aptamers have become a multimillion-dollar business used in various diagnostic platforms ranging from clinical diagnostics to environmental contaminant detection. Many countries are involved in this field of research, and it has produced remarkable progress. Despite the availability of technology in Sri Lanka, aptamer research has remained an untapped field. In this project, initial attempts were made to establish an aptamer developing platform for the first time in Sri Lanka. The process requires stringent monitoring of every step, and the researchers have also proposed a novel combination of monitoring methods in conducting aptamer development. Finally, the researchers identified an albumin-binding aptamer with comparable affinities based on computer-aided calculations. The project's next step aims to do rigorous laboratory-based binding methods to ensure that the selected aptamer will be useful in real-world applications. In summary, the project has successfully established a basic aptamer development platform in Sri Lanka for the first time. It looks forward to further improving and using it for the commercial development of aptamers, reducing the need to import costly antibodies.
Figure 1: The developed selection platform for aptamer identification
Figure 2: Interaction of selected aptamer with target of interest
