Aptamers against clostridium difficile, compositions comprising aptamers against clostridium difficile and methods of using the same
AssigneeBiovector, Inc.
InventorsRonald J. Shannon, Gregory Penner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Compositions comprising optimized aptamers capable of specifically binding to a surface protein of Clostridium difficile spore are provided. A method for detecting, enriching, separating, and/or isolating Clostridium difficile spores is provided.
Claims37
An aptamer having a nucleic acid sequence that selectively binds to surface protein CdeM of a Clostridium difficile spore, the aptamer having a stem-loop structure comprising Loop(3)/Stem(4f)/Loop(5)/Stem(4r)/Loop(5)/Stem(2f)/Loop(1)/Stem(2f)/Loop(1)/Stem(5f)/Loop(5)/Stem(5r)/Loop(1)/Stem(2r)/Loop(1)/Stem(2r)/Loop(3).
A composition comprising two or more aptamers having a binding affinity to two or more epitopes of a surface protein of a Clostridium difficile spore or to two or more surface proteins of a Clostridium difficile spore, wherein the two or more aptamers have a stem-loop structure.
A composition comprising two or more aptamers having a binding affinity to two or more epitopes of a surface protein of a Clostridium difficile spore or to two or more surface proteins of a Clostridium difficile spore, wherein the two or more aptamers have a stem-loop structure;
- (b) graphene oxide.
A method of visualizing Clostridium difficile spores on a surface, comprising:
- contacting a surface with a liquid composition comprising (a) at least one aptamer conjugated to a fluorophore, wherein the at least one aptamer has a stem-loop structure having a specific binding affinity for a surface protein of Clostridium difficile spore, wherein the surface protein is a spore coat surface protein or an exosporium layer protein;
- and (b) graphene oxide, wherein fluorophore is quenched by the association with the graphene oxide;
- and
- visualizing the presence or absence of Clostridium difficile spores on the surface, wherein fluorescence is visible when the at least one aptamer is bound to the surface protein of Clostridium difficile spores.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.