Monobaktamers

Monobaktamers are a class of synthetic DNA molecules designed to bind to specific targets. They are a type of aptamer, which are nucleic acid sequences that fold into three-dimensional structures capable of high-affinity binding to a variety of molecules, including proteins, small molecules, and even other nucleic acids. The term "monobaktamer" specifically refers to aptamers that are comprised of a single, continuous strand of DNA, as opposed to other aptamer designs that might involve RNA or multiple DNA strands.

The development of monobaktamers relies on a process called SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment). This in vitro selection technique involves iteratively incubating a large pool of random DNA sequences with the target molecule, isolating those that bind, amplifying them, and repeating the process. Over multiple rounds, the sequences that bind most strongly and specifically are enriched, leading to the identification of monobaktamers. These molecules offer advantages such as relatively straightforward synthesis, stability, and ease of modification compared to other binding agents like antibodies. Their applications are being explored in areas such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and biosensing due to their specific recognition capabilities.