New nucleoside analogues for the recognition of pyrimidine-purine inversion sites

A new nucleoside designed to enhance triplex stability has been synthesised in 15 steps starting from sugar 2. This pathway contains the sugar derivative 9 which is a useful intermediate for the introduction of other natural and unnatural bases into the 2'-aminoethoxy nucleoside containing scaffol

Recent improvements in antigene technology

DNA triple helix based approaches to control and modulate cellular functions on the level of genomic DNA (antigene technology) suffered in the past from a stepmother like treatment in comparison to the flourishing field of oligonucleotide based control of translation (antisense technology). This was mostly due to lack of affinity of triplex forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) to their DNA target, to sequence restriciton constraints imposed by the triple helical recogniton motifs and by open questions to the accessibility of the target DNA. Recent developments in the area have brought about new bases that specifically recognize pyrimidine-purine inversion sites as well as sugar modifications, e.g. the 2'-aminoethoxy-oligonucleotides or oligonucleotides based on the locked nucleic acid (LNA) sugar unit, that greatly enhance triplex stability and alleviate in part the sequence restriction constraints. With this, sequence specific genomic DNA manipulation starts to become a useful tool in biotechnolog

Improved Analysis of Olive Oils Triacylglycerols by UHPLC-Charged Aerosol Detection

5noIn the present study, a novel ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography method using charged aerosol detector (UHPLC-CAD) has been developed for the analysis of triacylglycerols (TAGs) in extra-virgin olive oil. Using a gradient method with a superficially porous particles column, an improved separation of TAGs was obtained, with notably shortening of both solvent consumption and analysis time, in comparison with the IOC official method for ECN 42 analysis. Furthermore, a baseline separation of trilinolein was obtained. CAD provides good linearity (R2>0.999) in the range of 0.05-10 µg of trilinolein injected on column as well as uniformity of response factor for different TAG molecular species. Finally, the proposed UHPLC-CAD methodology has been successfully applied to the determination of trilinolein in low-linoleic acid extra-virgin olive oil mixed in different proportions with high-oleic sunflower oil, palm olein and a mix of them at different percentages of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 % (w/w).nonenoneLucci, P.; Moret, S.; Buchini, F.; Ferlat, G.; Conte, L.Lucci, P.; Moret, S.; Buchini, F.; Ferlat, G.; Conte, L

Mechanism-Based Covalent Neuraminidase Inhibitors with Broad Spectrum Influenza Antiviral Activity

Influenza antiviral agents play important roles in modulating disease severity and in controlling pandemics while vaccines are prepared, but the development of resistance to agents like the commonly used neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir may limit their future utility. We report here a new class of specific, mechanism-based anti-influenza drugs that function via the formation of a stabilized covalent intermediate in the influenza neuraminidase enzyme, and confirm this mode of action via structural and mechanistic studies. These compounds function in cell-based assays and in animal models, with efficacies comparable to that of the neuraminidase inhibitor zanamivir and with broad spectrum activity against drug-resistant strains in vitro. The similarity of their structure to that of the natural substrate and their mechanism-based design make these attractive antiviral candidate