Solving world problems with pyrrole: 65^th birthday tribute to Prof. Jonathan L. Sessler

To celebrate Prof. Jonathan Sessler's 65th birthday, this Backstory on his life and career follows his path to success. We begin with his early days as an independent researcher and then show how his Texas-sized chemistry has molded over the years with the help of the “Crown and Anchor approach.” We hope this article will inspire readers to pursue their own academic endeavors and remember Jonathan's guiding motto: “people first, science second, money third.

Nucleobase-Modified Triplex-Forming Peptide Nucleic Acids for Sequence-Specific Recognition of Double-Stranded RNA

Because of the important roles noncoding RNAs play in gene expression, their sequence-specific recognition is important for both fundamental science and the pharmaceutical industry. However, most noncoding RNAs fold in complex helical structures that are challenging problems for molecular recognition. Herein, we describe a method for sequence-specific recognition of double-stranded RNA using peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) that form triple helices in the major grove of RNA under physiologically relevant conditions. We also outline methods for solid-phase conjugation of PNA with cell-penetrating peptides and fluorescent dyes. Protocols for PNA preparation and binding studies using isothermal titration calorimetry are described in detail