| STUDY |
DNA mimics target double-stranded DNA In the past, methods using pseudocomplementary oligonucleotides--a type of DNA mimic--to target sequences on double-stranded DNA only could work at the end of a DNA duplex or required assistance from proteins. Now, Vadim V. Demidov and Irina V. Smolina of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology at Boston University report that pseudocomplementary peptide nucleic acids (pcPNAs) together with pseudocomplementary DNA oligomers (pcODNs) can target DNA sequences anywhere in the double helix without protein assistance [Chem. Biol., 10, 591 (2003)]. The pseudocomplementary nucleobase analogs are designed so they won't form base pairs with each other, but they can still form Watson-Crick pairs with natural DNA bases. The pcPNA inserts into the double-stranded DNA and creates duplex edges where the pcODN can work its way into the DNA helix. Using this approach, the researchers demonstrate that they can selectively tag DNA using biotinylated pcODNs. They also show that pcODN can serve as a primer for DNA polymerase in primer-extension reactions. The authors expect this method could be useful for nondenaturing DNA sequencing, labeling, and isolation. |
| UPDATE | 07.03 |
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