Date of Award
8-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
College/School
College of Science and Mathematics
Department/Program
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair
Nina Goodey
Committee Member
Ulrich Gubler
Committee Member
Kirsten Monsen-Collar
Abstract
There has been a sharp decline in amphibian populations worldwide. One major contributor to this loss is a viral pathogen called Ranavirus. A common strain of Ranavirus known as Frog 3 virus has been found to affect frog populations throughout North America. Early detection is necessary to monitor the virus. However, the current testing methods are expensive, time-consuming, and impractical for use in fieldwork. To address these issues, I am working to develop a rapid-field test that can detect the virus on-site. Our approach is to employ a novel aptamer discovery technique to generate short single-stranded DNA sequences that bind to the virus's major capsid protein (MCP). The aptamers used in this study were previously identified using dual-tag Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX), which targets the MCP. Four candidate aptamers were selected based on their presence in early or late SELEX rounds. These aptamers were evaluated using an ELONA-type plate assay with purified recombinant MCP. Binding was assessed across a range of aptamer concentrations, and apparent binding affinities were estimated using nonlinear binding models through Microsoft Excel Solver. Additionally, control experiments were performed to evaluate protein specificity, sequence dependence, and the effects of competitor DNA and high-salt conditions on aptamer binding. Among the aptamers evaluated, aptamer R9-42 demonstrated reproducible MCP binding and was chosen for additional optimization experiments testing TMB development times and lower aptamer concentration series. Together, these results provide a basis for evaluating MCP-binding aptamers that can be used for a rapid- field testing kit to detect Ranavirus.
File Format
Recommended Citation
Sadaf, Fatima, "Identification and Characterization of DNA Aptamers Targeting Ranavirus Major Capsid Protein" (2026). Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects. 1739.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/etd/1739