# Technology for Directed Evolution of Glycoaptamers

> **NIH NIH R01** · BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $160,926

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The goal of this Focused Technology R01 project is to develop technologies for rapid discovery
of inhibitors of carbohydrate-binding proteins (CBPs). Carbohydrate-protein interactions are
critical in numerous processes including host-pathogen recognition, cell adhesion and cell
signaling, cancer angiogenesis, immune suppression, heart/liver/lung/eye fibrosis,
atherosclerosis, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis, to name a few examples. However, selective
disruption of specific CBP interactions is challenging in vivo. CBPs generally bind weakly to
individual glycans, with higher affinity (avidity) or specificity coming from multivalent interactions
to clustered glycans or interactions with nearby non-carbohydrate elements. A given CBP also
usually binds to various glycans. To untangle the complex web of CBP functions, it is important
to have a way to rapidly develop a specific and potent inhibitor of a CBP that can be used in the
relevant in vivo context. To this end, we propose two Aims: 1) to develop multivalent glyco-F-RNA
aptamers, in which a nuclease-resistant, F-RNA backbone is evolved to present simple glycans
in a manner that is selectively recognized by a CBP of interest; 2) to develop monovalent glyco-
F-RNA aptamers, in which a simple glycan provides a binding “foothold” for the CBP of interest,
which the evolved F-RNA component confers additional binding affinity and specificity through
interactions auxiliary to the glycan-binding pocket.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11099100
- **Project number:** 3R01GM151492-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Isaac Jonathan Krauss
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $160,926
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11099100

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11099100, Technology for Directed Evolution of Glycoaptamers (3R01GM151492-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11099100. Licensed CC0.

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