aptamer

(noun)

Any nucleic acid or protein that is used to bind to a specific target molecule.

Examples of aptamer in the following topics:

  • Riboswitches

    • The various mechanisms by which riboswitches function can be divided into two major parts including an aptamer and an expression platform.
    • The aptamer is characterized by the ability of the riboswitch to directly bind to its target molecule.
    • The binding of the aptamer to the target molecule results in a conformational change of the expression platform, thus affecting gene expression.