2025/04/18 by Mickaël Guérin, Marylène Vandevenne, André Matagne +8 · 1 voice · 2 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Environmental Science · #Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques #Bacteriophages and microbial interactions #RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/s42003-025-08034-7
openalex publication_date 2025/04/18 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most prevalent tick-borne illness, with an estimated 700 000 cases annually in the United States and Europe. The LB diagnosis based on a two-tiered serology remains controversial due to its indirect nature and low sensitivity during the early stage of the disease. Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides that exhibit high selectivity and specificity for their target due to their unique three-dimensional structure. By applying cross-over-SELEX process, an enrichment of DNA oligonucleotide sequences against a surface protein of Borrelia, named CspZ, has been performed and monitored using absorbance at 260 nm, melting curves and NGS analyses. Beyond sequence enrichment, oligonucleotides binding to CspZ were observed during the selection rounds by Dot Blot and beads assays. Thirteen unique and highly redundant oligonucleotide sequences were further characterized using multiple approaches such as Dot Blot, BioLayer Interferometry and Surface Plasmon Resonance. The selected aptamers showed KD values from tens of nanomolar to the micromolar range by BLI and SPR. Two aptamers, Apta9 and Apta10, characterized by flow cytometry and epifluorescence microscopy, were able to specifically recognize Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto. This strategy holds promise for the development of an improved diagnostic assay. Lyme borreliosis is challenging to diagnose, particularly in its early stages. Aptamers targeting CspZ from Borrelia, selected through cross-over SELEX, bind both the recombinant protein and bacteria, demonstrating potential for enhanced diagnostics.