Novel Aptamers Detect Dengue NS1 Protein Variants with Specificity Superior to Serotype Identification; “Breakthrough Paper” in Nucleic Acids Research Presents “Exciting” Results That Are Both “Timely” and “Impressive”

In a “Breakthrough Article” in Nucleic Acids Research, scientists at multiple research institutions in Singapore, led by Dr. Ichiro Hirao at the Institute of Bioengineering and Bioimaging (IBB), describe the generation, characterization, and application of DNA aptamers containing alternative bases (in addition to the traditional four bases of biological DNA) that expand the chemical diversity and corresponding capabilities of such selected and engineered molecules. The open-access article is titled “High-Affinity Five/Six-Letter DNA Aptamers with Superior Specificity Enabling the Detection of Dengue NS1 Protein Variants Beyond the Serotype Identification.”