Poisoning with organophosphorus compounds occupy one of the leading places in exotoxicosis. At the first stage, the detoxification of organophosphates can be provided with the help of DNA or RNA aptamers that bind the poison in the bloodstream. Currently, the main method of searching for aptamers is the experimental method of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). In the process of aptamer selection, the target molecule must be immobilized via the streptavidin-biotin complex. Since the poison molecule is small in size, to increase its availability for binding to aptamer, it is necessary to use a spacer between organophosphorus compounds and biotin. The aim of this work was to optimize the selection of aptamers for organophosphorus compounds by increasing the availability of a poison molecule immobilized via the streptavidin-biotin complex on the example of paraoxon. For this purpose, three spacers between organophosphorus compounds and biotin were tested using molecular modeling methods: three links of polyethylene glycol (3-PEG), four links of polyethylene glycol (4-PEG) and aminohexyl. The conformation of the biotinylated paraoxon complex with streptavidin and the interaction of paraoxon with the binding fragment of the aptamer were modeled using molecular docking and molecular dynamics methods. The ability of biotinylated paraoxon to bind to the aptamer has been evaluated by analyzing the surface area of the paraoxon available to the solvent, as well as by calculating the free binding energies. It has been shown that only in the case of aminohexyl immobilized paraoxon can contact the aptamer. At the final stage, the synthesis of paraoxon bound to biotin via aminohexyl was carried out.
Structural Principles of Fluorescent RNA Aptamers