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In The Aptamer Handbook, leading scientists from academia as well as biotech and pharma companies introduce the revolutionary concept of designing RNA and DNA oligonucleotides with novel functions by in vitro selection. These functions comprise high affinity binding (aptamers), catalytic activity (ribozymes and deoxyribozymes) or combinations of binding and catalytic properties (aptazymes).
Basic concepts and technologies describing in detail how these functional oligonucleotides can be identified are presented. Numerous examples demonstrate the versatility of in vitro selected oligonucleotides. Special emphasis has been put on a section that shows the broad applicability of aptamers, e. g. in target validation, for analytics, or as new therapeutics.
This first overview in the field is of prime interest for a broad audience of scientists both in academia and in industry who wish to expand their knowledge on the potential of new oligonucleotide functions and their applications.
List of contents
HISTORY AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
In vitro selection of functional oligonucleotides and the origins of biochemical activity (J. M. Carothers and J. Szostak)
Mathematical models on RNA evolution, simulations in silico, and concepts for in vitro selection (P. Schuster)
Fitness landscapes, error thresholds, and cofactors in aptamer evolution (A. Kun, M. Maurel, M. Santos, E. Szathmary)
IN VITRO SELECTION OF TARGET BINDING OLIGONUCLEOTIDES
Aptamers to small molecules (H. Fickert, I. Fransson, U. Hahn)
Aptamers to antibiotics (C. Lorenz, R. Schroeder)
Aptamers to proteins (S. Nimjee, C. Rusconi, B. Sullenger)
Aptamers to nucleic acid structures (J. Toulme, F. Darfeuille, C. Di Primo, E. Dausse)
Natural aptamers - riboswitches (R. Welz, A. Roth, R. Breaker)
IN VITRO SELECTION OF SHORT CATALYTICALLY ACTIVE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES
Catalytically active RNA molecules: tools in organic chemistry (B. Weigand, A. Zerressen, J. Schlatterer, M. Helm, A. Jäschke)
Deoxyribozymes: Catalytically active DNA molecules (K. Schlosser, S. McManus, Y. Li)
APPLICATIONS AND OUTLOOK
In vivo and in vitro target validation with nucleic acid aptamers as pharmacological probes (S. Pendergast, D. Epstein)
Intramers for protein function analysis and drug discovery (M. Famulok, G. Mayer)
Aptazymes: allosteric ribozymes and deoxyribozymes as biosensors (S. Knudsen, A. Ellington)
Conversion of aptamer lead structures into small molecules (A. Jenne)
Aptamers as ligands for affinity chromatography and capillary electrophoresis applications (E. Peyrin)
Aptamers for in vivo imaging (S. Borkowski, L. Dinkelborg)
Properties of therapeutic aptamers (S. Cload, T. McCauley, A. Keefe, J. Healy, C. Wilson)
Spiegelmers for therapeutic applications (D. Eulberg, F. Jarosch, S. Vonhoff, S. Klussmann)
Applications in the clinic: the anti-VEGF aptamer (T. Realini, E. Ng, A. Adamis)
Aptamers after fifteen years (L. Gold)
About the author
Sven Klussmann is co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of NOXXON Pharma AG, Berlin. He is a Biochemist by training and his initial studies were carried out at the Freie Universität Berlin, where he obtained his academic degrees. Dr. Klussmann received the Carl Ramsauer Award for his dissertation in which he demonstrated the principles of the Spiegelmer Technology, a new approach to identify biostable mirror-image oligonucleotides (so-called Spiegelmers) that can bind with high affinity to target molecules. He has authored more than 30 articles and 40 patents on oligonucleotides and their applications.
Summary
In The Aptamer Handbook, leading scientists from academia as well as biotech and pharma companies introduce the revolutionary concept of designing RNA and DNA oligonucleotides with novel functions by in vitro selection. These functions comprise high affinity binding (aptamers), catalytic activity (ribozymes and deoxyribozymes) or combinations of binding and catalytic properties (aptazymes).
Basic concepts and technologies describing in detail how these functional oligonucleotides can be identified are presented. Numerous examples demonstrate the versatility of in vitro selected oligonucleotides. Special emphasis has been put on a section that shows the broad applicability of aptamers, e. g. in target validation, for analytics, or as new therapeutics.
This first overview in the field is of prime interest for a broad audience of scientists both in academia and in industry who wish to expand their knowledge on the potential of new oligonucleotide functions and their applications.
Additional text
"Insgesamt gesehen ist das Buch...hervorragend. Für Forscher auf dem Gebiet der Aptamere wird es mit Recht zu dem Nachschlagewerk avancieren. Klare Abbildungen, eine ausführliche Liste mit Literaturhinweisen in jedem Kapitel und ein detailliertes Sachwortverzeichnis ergänzen die ausgezeichnete Darstellung der Themen. Studierende wie auch fortgeschrittene Wissenschaftler werden von der Lektüre profitieren."
Angewandte Chemie
Report
"Insgesamt gesehen ist das Buch...hervorragend. Für Forscher auf dem Gebiet der Aptamere wird es mit Recht zu dem Nachschlagewerk avancieren. Klare Abbildungen, eine ausführliche Liste mit Literaturhinweisen in jedem Kapitel und ein detailliertes Sachwortverzeichnis ergänzen die ausgezeichnete Darstellung der Themen. Studierende wie auch fortgeschrittene Wissenschaftler werden von der Lektüre profitieren."
Angewandte Chemie
