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World J Transl Med. Dec 12, 2013; 2(3): 67-74
Published online Dec 12, 2013. doi: 10.5528/wjtm.v2.i3.67
Published online Dec 12, 2013. doi: 10.5528/wjtm.v2.i3.67
Molecular recognition of live methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus cells using DNA aptamers
Diane Turek, Dimitri Van Simaeys, Weihong Tan, Shands Cancer and Genetic Research Center, Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
Judith Johnson, Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
Ismail Ocsoy, Weihong Tan, Department of Chemistry, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States
Author contributions: Turek D and Van Simaeys D designed the research project; Turek D performed the research; Ocsoy I assisted in the transmission electron microscopy research; Johnson J provided bacteria training as well as bacteria clinical samples; Turek D and Tan W analyzed the data and wrote the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Weihong Tan, Distinguished Professor, Department of Chemistry, Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, University of Florida, 100 Farrior Hall at 100 Fletcher Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States. tan@chem.ufl.edu
Telephone: +1-352-8462410 Fax: +1-352-8462410
Received: August 9, 2013
Revised: November 11, 2013
Accepted: November 20, 2013
Published online: December 12, 2013
Processing time: 149 Days and 22.2 Hours
Revised: November 11, 2013
Accepted: November 20, 2013
Published online: December 12, 2013
Processing time: 149 Days and 22.2 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip:Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a nosocomial bacterium that has developed resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and can now be contracted in community settings. A tool that would enable the recognition of MRSA through its membrane structure could lead to new therapeutic approaches to eradicate the MRSA superbug. This paper presents four MRSA aptamers that can be easily modified as molecular probes for bioanalysis or antibiotics-free therapy. The Cell-SELEX technology was used to develop target-specific aptamers and binding studies of those aptamers were performed by flow cytometry on a panel of clinical strains. A total of four aptamers that bind to MRSA were obtained.