Search

A catalytic DNA-templated reaction of hydrolysis of an ester group in an N-modified peptide nucleic acid that is activated by a Cu(super 2+) complex-PNA is discovered and optimized. This reaction helps in developing a fully homogeneous and sensitive assay for sequence-specific DNA detection.

The potential of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) to act as an antisense and antigene agent, makes it similar to a DNA that has excellent binding affinity and sequence specificity toward oligonucleotides. The ability of Zn(super 2+), to increase the binding affinity of terminally modified PNA to DNA targets in vitro, is described for the first time.

Research has been conducted on DNA-templated metal catalysis. The authors describe this first example of the nucleic acid-templated metal complex catalysis, and analyze its versatility.

Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is a mimic of DNA which has excellent binding affinity and sequence specificity toward oligonucleotides. Researchers have synthesized PNA in which a Zn2+ chelating ligand is conjugated via an aromatic linker. Intercalation of the aromatic linker is regulated by the metal coordination to the ligand. It has been recently shown that unsymmetrically modified naphthalene diimide intercalates within PNA:DNA duplex and strongly stabilizes it. Therefore, this aromatic fragment was chosen as a linker between PNA and the ligand. As ligands, strong Zn2+ binders were selected: bis(picolyl)amine and 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane.