| Affiliations: | College of Sciences |
| Project Leader: |
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| Faculty Mentor: |
Yulia Gerasimova, PhD
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Meeting Times:
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TBA
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Team Size:
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4 |
| Open Spots: | 4 |
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Team Needs:
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Preferred skills include basic biochemistry background and either currently taking or have completed Biochemistry I. |
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Description:
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This project focuses around the investigation of DNA Based fluorescent light-up aptamers (FLAPs). Aptamers are short single stranded RNA or DNA oligonucleotides that present high affinity toward their target ligands. In the case of this research, we investigate one particular DNA FLAP known as DAP-10-42. DAP-10-42 has shown promise as a potential biosensor due to its promiscuity in target binding, presenting high affinity towards a relatively large range of fluorogenic dyes, increasing their signal by manyfold. This project investigates the structure of the DAP-10-42 aptamer, delving into a potential conformation in the dye-binding region known as a G-quadruplex (G4), which is a structure that forms when a series of Guanine nucleotides are arranged close together in a nucleotide sequence, and form a complex that is stabilized by a monovalent cation, such as potassium. We wish to investigate how DAP-10-42's potential G4 structure leads to its promiscuity as an aptamer, and in turn gives it great potential as a biosensor. |