A DNA aptamer recognising a malaria protein biomarker can function as part of a DNA origami assembly

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 6; no. 1; p. 21266
• Main Authors: Godonoga, Maia, Lin, Ting-Yu, Oshima, Azusa, Sumitomo, Koji, Tang, Marco S. L., Cheung, Yee-Wai, Kinghorn, Andrew B., Dirkzwager, Roderick M., Zhou, Cunshan, Kuzuya, Akinori, Tanner, Julian A., Heddle, Jonathan G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 19.02.2016; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/61/350/59; 692/53/2421; 82/29; 82/83; Aptamers; Aptamers, Nucleotide - chemistry; Atomic force microscopy; Base Sequence; Biomarkers; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Enzymatic activity; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Kinetics; L-Lactate dehydrogenase; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - chemistry; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - genetics; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - metabolism; Lactic acid; Malaria; Malaria - diagnosis; Malaria - parasitology; Malaria, Falciparum - diagnosis; Malaria, Falciparum - parasitology; Microscopy, Atomic Force; Models, Molecular; multidisciplinary; Nanotechnology; Plasmodium falciparum; Plasmodium falciparum - genetics; Protein Binding; Protein Conformation; Proteins; Protozoan Proteins - chemistry; Protozoan Proteins - genetics; Protozoan Proteins - metabolism; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Vector-borne diseases
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep21266

DNA aptamers have potential for disease diagnosis and as therapeutics, particularly when interfaced with programmable molecular technology. Here we have combined DNA aptamers specific for the malaria biomarker Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase ( Pf LDH) with a DNA origami scaffold. Twelve aptamers that recognise Pf LDH were integrated into a rectangular DNA origami and atomic force microscopy demonstrated that the incorporated aptamers preserve their ability to specifically bind target protein. Captured Pf LDH retained enzymatic activity and protein-aptamer binding was observed dynamically using high-speed AFM. This work demonstrates the ability of DNA aptamers to recognise a malaria biomarker whilst being integrated within a supramolecular DNA scaffold, opening new possibilities for malaria diagnostic approaches based on DNA nanotechnology.