Split aptamers and their applications in sandwich aptasensors

摘要: Abstract Most aptasensors are designed based on aptamers' conformational change or structural transformation upon interaction with their targets. A limitation of these strategies is the unpredictability such alterations that may yield false-positive nonspecific signals. In bioanalysis, a dominant strategy for protein determination sandwich assay because its high specificity and sensitivity resulting from dual recognition mechanism. However, approach poorly suited to detection low molecular weight targets, which unlikely bind two aptamers simultaneously due steric hindrance. To circumvent this drawback, split aptamer was recently developed, in nucleic acid were into fragments could specifically form ternary assembly presence ligand. This elegant has been extensively adopted various especially small different transduction methods including colorimetric, fluorescence, electrochemical techniques. review first introduced how obtain aptamers, then summarized recent advances development sandwich-format biosensing assays fragments, aiming at providing general guide design split-aptamer-based assays. Furthermore, we discussed possible challenges regarding stability, multiplicity, so as offer future opportunities assay.