Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40968187›Full record

ArticleNature biomedical engineering2026

Systematic functional screening of switchable aptamer beacon probes.

Xuan Cheng, Panzhu Yao, Chongyu Jin, Jinchen Long, Xueling Yan, Xuyang Zhao, Tongxuan Wei, Qinguo Liu, Yifan Chen, Huang Su and 6 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Nature biomedical engineering, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Xuan Cheng *State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Panzhu Yao *State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Chongyu JinState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Jinchen LongState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Xueling YanState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Xuyang ZhaoState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Tongxuan WeiState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Qinguo LiuState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Yifan ChenState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-7917-6165
Huang SuState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Hong XuanState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Siqi BianState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Jun LiState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Wenlang LiuDivamics Inc., Suzhou, China.
Zheng ZhengDivamics Inc., Suzhou, China.
Liqin ZhangState Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China. lqzhang@hsc.pku.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3632-4117

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 22227805National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 22374004
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Immunoassays using affinity binders such as antibodies and aptamers are crucial for molecular biology. However, the advancement of analytical methods based on these affinity probes is often hampered by complex operational steps that can introduce errors, particularly in intricate environments such as intracellular settings and microfluidic systems. There is growing interest in developing molecular probes for wash-free assays that activate signals upon target detection. Here we report a systematic functional screening platform for switchable aptamer beacon probes that can achieve target-responsive detection. A stem-loop, hairpin-shaped beacon library was constructed on microbeads and screened using target-responsive fluorescence-activated sorting. The selected aptamer beacons exhibit strong affinities, triggering fluorescence only upon binding, thus enabling wash-free immunoassays for the detection of intracellular and membrane proteins. Computational modelling offers insights into aptamer binding and structural switching mechanisms, revealing how specific protein-aptamer interactions drive stem-loop unwinding and postbinding conformational changes critical for functional activation. This approach establishes a standardized platform for generating switchable aptameric tools, supporting their potential in advanced diagnostics and research.

Indexed as

Aptamers, NucleotideMolecular ProbesHumansImmunoassayAptamers, NucleotideMolecular Probes

Identifiers

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.