Integrating DNA Nanotechnology with Aptamers for Biological and Biomedical Applications

Abstract

<h2>Summary</h2> In addition to critical biological roles, DNA is also considered an excellent engineering material with unique characteristics of high programmability and addressability. Recent advances in DNA nanotechnology enable the rational design and precise fabrication of various exquisite DNA nanostructures, providing many new opportunities for technological uses. Meanwhile, the integration of DNA nanostructures with molecular recognition capacity can further expand the scope of their application. Particularly suited to this goal, aptamers are short single-stranded nucleic acids selected via an <i>in vitro</i> strategy called systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment. As analogs to antibodies, aptamers can bind to various targets, such as small molecules, proteins, viruses, bacteria, and even whole cells. Apart from comparable specificity and affinity as antibodies, aptamers have several advantages, including small molecular weight, high designability, easy synthesis, and convenient modification. Indeed, the marriage of aptamers with DNA nanostructures has generated many powerful tools for advanced biological and biomedical applications. In this review, we summarize the recent progress, application, and prospect of aptamer-integrated DNA nanotechnology in the fields of biosensing, bioimaging, targeted drug delivery, bioregulation, and biomimicry.