Rapid Selection of Single-Stranded DNA Aptamers Binding Staphylococcus Epidermidis in Platelet Concentrates

Abstract

Staphylococcus epidermidis is the most common transfusion-associated pathogen contaminating platelet concentrates. Methods to reduce or eliminate contaminating bacteria from platelet units are critical for improving the safety of blood transfusions. We used rapid isolation of DNA aptamers (RIDA) to identify single-stranded (ss)DNA aptamers as ligands that specifically bind to S. epidermidis. Five target-specific ssDNA aptamers (76mer) were obtained under stringent selection conditions. Aptamer SE43 demonstrated higher binding affinity compared with scrambled control. Furthermore, when binding assays were conducted in platelet concentrate, there was a twofold increase in binding affinity compared with the SE43 binding in buffer alone. Our data identified an aptamer that may be useful as a ligand to capture, detect or remove S. epidermidis contaminant from platelet concentrates.

Selection and applications of functional nucleic acids for infectious disease detection and prevention

“…The whole-bacteria/virus SELEX technology incorporates whole bacteria/virus with an ssDNA library by identifying oligonucleotide chains and complex markers on the bacterial surface, which does not require verification of special markers on the surface. DNA aptamers against infectious pathogens including Haemophilus influenzae type b [11], Mycobacterium tuberculosis [40], Escherichia coli (E. coli) [9,17], Streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes [12], Streptococcus pneumoniae [15], Staphylococcus aureus [18,41], Staphylococcus epidermidis [42]), and Vibrio (Vibrio parahaemolyticus [43], Vibrio vulnificus [10], Vibrio alginolyticus [14]) were selected. Moreover, DNA aptamers for nonpathogenic bacteria such as Bifidobacterium [13] and Vibrio fischeri [16] were selected.…”