SAXS structure studies of the aptamer to the oncolytic virus VV-GMCSF-Lact

Oncolytic viral therapy is a relatively young but rapidly developing area in cancer therapy. Some viruses can be used to combat cancer cells due to their cytotoxic action, but it is desirable to inhibit the influence of the human immune system on them. Aptamers, short oligonucleotides capable of specifically binding to their molecular targets, can perform a dual role: binding to oncoviruses and blocking their receptors through which the immune system attacks them, and also delivering them to another target — cancer cells, to increase the effectiveness of the virus. For such a complex task, it is critically important to know the three-dimensional structure of such bifunctional molecules as aptamers. This work presents a study of the NV14t_56 aptamer to the oncolytic virus VV-GMCSF-Lact using the small-angle X-ray scattering method in solution, determination of the structural characteristics extracted using this method, and validation of the molecular model constructed on the basis of the predicted secondary structure.