Breaking Ranavirus: Unraveling Aptamer-Protein Interactions for Rapid Test Development
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Advisor
Nina Goodey
Access Type
Event
Start Date
26-4-2024 12:45 PM
End Date
26-4-2024 1:44 PM
Description
Ranavirus (Rv) is a global pathogen responsible for a decline in amphibian, reptile, and fish populations. Frog Virus 3 specifically has had ecological impacts on populations in the Northeast because it can transmit between species. Currently, there is no cure, and detecting and monitoring the virus is expensive and requires extensive training. Our goal is to develop a rapid test for the real-time detection of RV3. A rapid and easy-to-implement test will make it possible to monitor the spread of ranavirus in the field in real-time, positively impacting frog conservation. My current objective is to identify single-stranded DNA molecule aptamers, that selectively and tightly bind the major capsid protein (MCP) of Ranavirus. The goal of my project is to use electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) to test whether our aptamers bind to MCP. EMSA detects the interactions of DNA and protein. Aptamer alone should travel down the gel with ease due to the smaller size of the molecule. When bound to MCP, I expect a higher band, due to the aptamer’s increased size. If our aptamers bind to Ranavirus FV3 MCP, we will begin the development of the ranavirus rapid test in lateral flow format.
Breaking Ranavirus: Unraveling Aptamer-Protein Interactions for Rapid Test Development
Ranavirus (Rv) is a global pathogen responsible for a decline in amphibian, reptile, and fish populations. Frog Virus 3 specifically has had ecological impacts on populations in the Northeast because it can transmit between species. Currently, there is no cure, and detecting and monitoring the virus is expensive and requires extensive training. Our goal is to develop a rapid test for the real-time detection of RV3. A rapid and easy-to-implement test will make it possible to monitor the spread of ranavirus in the field in real-time, positively impacting frog conservation. My current objective is to identify single-stranded DNA molecule aptamers, that selectively and tightly bind the major capsid protein (MCP) of Ranavirus. The goal of my project is to use electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) to test whether our aptamers bind to MCP. EMSA detects the interactions of DNA and protein. Aptamer alone should travel down the gel with ease due to the smaller size of the molecule. When bound to MCP, I expect a higher band, due to the aptamer’s increased size. If our aptamers bind to Ranavirus FV3 MCP, we will begin the development of the ranavirus rapid test in lateral flow format.
Comments
Additional Authors: Naima Zaheer, Zaima Chowdhury, Priyansi Kiran Govani