Inside the Black Box: What Makes SELEX Better?

Molecules. 2019 Oct 7;24(19):3598. doi: 10.3390/molecules24193598.

Abstract

Aptamers are small oligonucleotides that are capable of binding specifically to a target, with impressive potential for analysis, diagnostics, and therapeutics applications. Aptamers are isolated from large nucleic acid combinatorial libraries using an iterative selection process called SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment). Since being implemented 30 years ago, the SELEX protocol has undergone many modifications and improvements, but it remains a laborious, time-consuming, and costly method, and the results are not always successful. Each step in the aptamer selection protocol can influence its results. This review discusses key technical points of the SELEX procedure and their influence on the outcome of aptamer selection.

Keywords: PCR amplification; SELEX; aptamer; next generation sequencing; nucleic acid library; sequencing; ssDNA regeneration.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / chemical synthesis
  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / chemistry*
  • DNA Primers / chemical synthesis
  • DNA Primers / chemistry*
  • DNA, Single-Stranded / isolation & purification
  • Gene Library
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / methods
  • Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques
  • Nucleic Acids / chemistry
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • SELEX Aptamer Technique / methods*

Substances

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide
  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Single-Stranded
  • Nucleic Acids