Chemically Modified Aptamers in Biological Analysis

Abstract

Recently, nucleic acid aptamers have been widely used in biological analysis due to their high affinity, binding selectivity, and programmability. Researchers have introduced the idea that chemical modification endows aptamers with rich spatial conformations and functions, extending the application of aptamers in biological analysis. Currently, reviews about aptamers in the bioanalytical field usually focus on the complexes of aptamers and functional materials. Few reviews pay attention to the chemically modified aptamers. In this review, we introduce the synthesis and screening of chemically modified nucleic acids. In addition, we summarize the recent works about chemically modified aptamers in the field of bioanalysis, aiming to provide a promising step toward an aptamer-based versatile platform for biological analysis.