Aptamers as Modular Components of Therapeutic Nucleic Acid Nanotechnology

Nucleic acids play a central role in all domains of life, either as genetic blueprints or as regulators of various biochemical pathways. The chemical makeup of ribonucleic (RNA) or deoxyribonucleic (DNA) acids, generally represented by a sequence of four monomers, also provides precise instructions for folding and higher-order assembly of these biopolymers that in turn dictate biological functions. The sequence-based specific 3D structures of nucleic acids led to the development of the directed evolution of oligonucleotides: SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) against a chosen target molecule. Among the variety of functions, selected oligonucleotides named aptamers also allow targeting of cell-specific receptors with antibody-like precision and can deliver functional RNAs without a transfection agent. The advancements in the field of customizable nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) opened avenues for the design of nanoassemblies utilizing aptamers for triggering or blocking ce...