Synthesis and oligodeoxynucleotide binding properties of pyrrolidinyl peptide nucleic acids bearing prolyl-2-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid (ACPC) backbones

A series of novel conformationally rigid pyrrolidinyl peptide nucleic acids (PNA) based on d-prolyl-2-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid (ACPC) backbones has been synthesized. Investigation of the binding properties of four stereoisomeric PNAs possessing different stereochemistry at the ACPC part with DNA revealed that a precise stereochemistry of the backbone is very important in determining the binding properties. Only the PNA containing (1S,2S)-ACPC can form a very stable 1:1 complex with the complementary DNA in a sequence-specific manner.     

PNA系列天线分析系统的原理与应用

PNA系列矢量网络分析仪具有功能多、精度高、频率范围广、动态范围大等优点,由它和计算机、相关仪器及测试天线、转台、扫描架等配套设施搭建的天线测试分析系统,通过专用控制程序可对天线多项功能和指标进行测试、分析。整套系统不仅具有清晰的操作界面、简明的操作流程、多种类型的输入输出接口等,而且可利用LAN进行远程控制和操作。该文对天线测试分析系统的构成、工作原理和在天线远、近场测试的应用进行较为详细的探讨和阐述。     

Synthesis and characterization of (R)-miniPEG-containing chiral γ-peptide nucleic acids using the Fmoc strategy

Diethylene glycol (miniPEG)-containing chiral γPNA is considered to be one of the best PNA derivatives. Its preparation is mainly based on the Boc strategy for solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), requiring the repeated use of trifluoroacetic acid TFA, which is not suitable for the in situ synthesis of PNA arrays and some other applications under mild conditions. Herein, Fmoc/Cbz orthogonal protected miniPEG-containing chiral γPNA monomers were synthesized, and a 15mer γPNA was prepared using the Fmoc strategy under mild conditions.     

Silicon nanowires as field-effect transducers for biosensor development: A review

The unique electronic properties and miniaturized dimensions of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are attractive for label-free, real-time and sensitive detection of biomolecules. Sensors based on SiNWs operate as field effect transistors (FETs) and can be fabricated either by top–down or bottom–up approaches. Advances in fabrication methods have allowed for the control of physicochemical and electronic properties of SiNWs, providing opportunity for interfacing of SiNW-FET probes with intracellular environments. The Debye screening length is an important consideration that determines the performance and detection limits of SiNW-FET sensors, especially at physiologically relevant conditions of ionic strength (>100 mM). In this review, we discuss the construction and application of SiNW-FET sensors for detection of ions, nucleic acids and protein markers. Advantages and disadvantages of the top–down and bottom–up approaches for synthesis of SiNWs are discussed. An overview of various methods for surface functionalization of SiNWs for immobilization of selective chemistry is provided in the context of impact on the analytical performance of SiNW-FET sensors. In addition to in vitro examples, an overview of the progress of use of SiNW-FET sensors for ex vivo studies is also presented. This review concludes with a discussion of the future prospects of SiNW-FET sensors.     

Lipophilic peptide nucleic acids containing a 1,3-diyne function: synthesis, characterization and production of derived polydiacetylene liposomes

Adenine-, cytosine- and thymine-containing peptide nucleic acid (PNA) monomers have been synthesized in which either diacetylenic or stearoyl moieties are attached to the N-or C-terminus; the diacetylenic group is embedded within a long hydrocarbon chain. A range of analogous lipophilic functionalized PNA oligomers have been prepared using either solid phase synthesis or a post-synthetic solution phase procedure following cleavage of the PNA oligomer from the solid support. Selected functionalized PNA monomers and oligomers have been incorporated into liposomal polydiacetylenes and characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. Preliminary investigations show that blue PDA-liposomes containing thymine-based PNAs can be formed and that production of liposomes with other PNA systems are viable.     

Improvements in the selection of real components forming a substitute mixture for petroleum fractions

Complex mixtures, particularly petroleum fractions, usually need to be suitably modeled before providing the simulation and other types of chemical engineering calculations. The most convenient way is to describe the original mixture by a substitute mixture. The formerly published approach based on the employment of substitute mixtures of real components can be improved in order to get a closer match between the behavior of the original and substitute mixtures. In the first phase of the algorithm, a new concept of a band around the characterization curves brings wider possibilities for the selection of real components into the substitute mixture. The second phase, which is used to determine the composition of the substitute mixture, can be also improved by considering the global or bulk properties of the original mixture if available. Typically, some of the properties e.g. liquid density, molecular mass and PNA (Paraffinic/Naphthenic/Aromatic carbon) analysis can be measured and used to improve the adjustment of the composition. The improved algorithm is illustrated by an example.     

Nucleic Acid–Promoted Electron Transfer to Cytochrome c

Gold electrodes were modified with short oligonucleotides in order to facilitate the electron transfer to the small redox protein cytochrome c. DNA immobilization was followed by impedance spectroscopy. The electron exchange was found to be quasi-reversible for both the protein in solution or adsorbed at the electrode surface. Variations of base sequence or structure (DNA-PNA hybrids) of the nucleic acid promoter layer did not significantly change the electron transfer rate constant which was in the range of 0.2–1×10⁻² cm/s. Cytochrome c adsorbed at low ionic strength was coupled to molecules in solution such as superoxide or laccase. Aspects of the DNA conductivity and possibilities for DNA detection are also discussed.     

Label-free characterisation of oligonucleotide hybridisation using reflectometric interference spectroscopy

The potential of a label-free detection method, reflectometric interference spectroscopy (RIfS), for temperature-dependent DNA hybridisation experiments (for example in single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis) is investigated. Hybridisations of DNA, peptide nucleic acid (PNA), and locked nucleic acid (LNA) to a single stranded DNA were measured for several temperatures, and the melting curves and temperatures were calculated from the changes in optical thickness obtained. These measurements were performed by hybridising surface-immobilised single stranded oligomers with their complementary ssDNA or with ssDNA containing SNPs at different temperatures. DNA was compared to its analogue oligomers PNA and LNA due to their stability against nuclease. A comparison of melting temperatures demonstrated the higher binding affinities of the DNA analogues. Moreover, a continuous melting curve was obtained by first hybridising the functionalised surface with its complementary DNA at room temperature and then heating up in-flow. Measurement of the continuous melting curve was only possible due to the insensitivity of the RIfS method towards temperature changes. This is an advantage over other label-free detection methods, which are based on determining the refractive index.Dedicated to the memory of Wilhelm Fresenius.     

Sequence-specific Hydrolysis of Single-stranded DNA by PNA-Cerium (IV) Adduct

Sequence-specific recognition and site-specific cleavage of DNA are studied and applied in various fields, such as DNA sequence determinations, chromosome analysis, gene therapeutics, and recombinant DNA manipulation1. Many sequence-specific cleavage reagents, which consist of transitional metals or polynuclear metal complex as “scissors” moiety and DNA as sequence-recognizing moiety, are developed. However, most of these “scissors”, such as Fe2+, Cu2+ and dinuclear iron (III) comple…