Inorganic-Aptamer Hybrids for Live Cell Imaging

The development of a real-time method for the intracellular measurement of RNA production by optical imaging requires the development of a robust system. RNA apatamers have been developed for imaging, but suffer the drawback of a weak signal in the cellular mileau along with rapid photobleaching. We propose to develop aptamers that avoid these deficiencies by designing specific fluorophores that will be emissive upon binding an aptamer. This will be accomplished through the use of synthesis of ligands coordinated around a ruthenium metal scaffold. These complexes will be optimized for binding to the previously developed fluorescent apatamer, Spinach. In a parallel effort the ruthenium compounds will be used to engineer a selective apatamer using a random library combined with SELEX.