A high density array comprising approximately one billion short nucleic acid sequences (aptamers) will be generated on a next generation sequencing system and tested as an assay platform to identify binding agents to a range of antigens. The initial focus of the project will study variations to a well-characterized G quadruplex sequence that is known to bind specific protein targets, and will explore the capacity of this sequence motif as a generalized scaffold for binding a range of protein and small antigens. The project will generate an alternative technology to SELEX for the display and identification of aptamers as a discovery tool for the characterization of specific DNA -small molecule and DNA-protein interactions, and will lead to the design of molecular probes that can be exploited to study biological hypotheses that are the subject of current interest.