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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Dec 26.
Published in final edited form as: J Am Chem Soc. 2012 Dec 13;134(51):10.1021/ja310585e. doi: 10.1021/ja310585e

Figure 5.

Figure 5

Narrowing the dynamic range of an aptamer using the sequestration mechanism. (Left) We have also narrowed the dynamic range of our model sensor using the sequestration mechanism. This mechanism employs a high affinity non-signalling “depletant” aptamer (here the unlabelled high-affinity parent aptamer) that acts as a “sink,” holding the concentration of free target low until it is saturated. Upon saturation the free target concentration rises very rapidly, activating a signalling-competent, but lower affinity aptamer (here variant 2). (Right) Using this strategy we have narrowed the 81-fold useful dynamic range of the cocaine sensor to just ~3-fold.