Application of Aptamer Identification Technology in Rapid Analysis of Mycotoxins

Aptamers are oligonucleotides fragments, such as ribonucleic acid (RNA) and single-strand deoxyribonucleicacid (ssDNA) or peptide molecules aptamers, can bind to their targets with high affinity and specificity. To generate artificial ligands, they are isolated from combinatorial libraries of synthetic nucleic acid by exponential enrichment, via an in vitro iterative process of adsorption, the recovery and reamplification are known as systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). As new recognition molecules, the application of aptamers analysis display better prospects than antibodies in the fields of food analysis, environmental monitoring, new drug development, clinical diagnosis and treatment, toxicological study, etc. The structural bases and characteristics of combination between aptamers and analytes are elaborated in this article, aptamer sequences of mycotoxins are listed as well. Further, the applications of aptamers identification technology for the rapid analysis of mycotoxins are summarized. These analytical applications involve sample extraction and purification, aptamer-based optical techniques and electrochemical techniques for the rapid detection of single mycotoxin and simultaneous detection of various mycotoxins. Finally, the future development trends of aptamer identification technology in the field of mycotoxins analysis are prospected.