49 research outputs found
Synthetic Polymer Hybridization with DNA and RNA Directs Nanoparticle Loading, Silencing Delivery, and Aptamer Function
We
report herein discrete triplex hybridization of DNA and RNA
with polyacrylates. Length-monodisperse triazine-derivatized polymers
were prepared on gram-scale by reversible addition–fragmentation
chain-transfer polymerization. Despite stereoregio backbone heterogeneity,
the triazine polymers bind T/U-rich DNA or RNA with nanomolar affinity
upon mixing in a 1:1 ratio, as judged by thermal melts, circular dichroism,
gel-shift assays, and fluorescence quenching. We call these polyacrylates
“bifacial polymer nucleic acids” (bP<sub>o</sub>NAs).
Nucleic acid hybridization with bP<sub>o</sub>NA enables DNA loading
onto polymer nanoparticles, siRNA silencing delivery, and can further
serve as an allosteric trigger of RNA aptamer function. Thus, bP<sub>o</sub>NAs can serve as tools for both non-covalent bioconjugation
and structure–function nucleation. It is anticipated that bP<sub>o</sub>NAs will have utility in both bio- and nanotechnology
Bifacial Peptide Nucleic Acid Directs Cooperative Folding and Assembly of Binary, Ternary, and Quaternary DNA Complexes
We report herein the structuring
of single-stranded thymine-rich
DNA sequences into peptide–DNA hairpin triplex structures via
designed melamine–thymine nucleobase recognition. Melamine-displaying
α-peptides were synthesized with the general form (EM*)<sub><i>n</i></sub>, where M* denotes a lysine residue side
chain derivatized with melamine, a bifacial hydrogen bond complement
for thymine. We have found that (EM*)<sub><i>n</i></sub> peptides, which we term bifacial peptide nucleic acid (bPNA), function
as a noncovalent template for thymine-rich DNA tracts. Unstructured
DNA of the general form dT<sub><i>n</i></sub>C<sub><i>m</i></sub>T<sub><i>n</i></sub> are bound to (EM*)<sub><i>n</i></sub> peptides and fold into cooperatively melting
1:1 bPNA–DNA hairpin complexes with dissociation constants
in the submicromolar to low nanomolar range for <i>n</i> = 4–10. As the length of the interface (<i>n</i>) is decreased, the melting temperature of the bPNA–DNA complex
drops significantly, though <i>K</i><sub>d</sub> increases
are less substantial, suggestive of strong enthalpy–entropy
compensation. This is borne out by differential scanning calorimetry
analysis, which indicates enthalpically driven bPNA–DNA base-stacking
that becomes markedly less exothermic as the recognition surface <i>n</i> decreases in size. The recognition interface tolerates
a high number of “mismatches” and indicates half-site,
or monofacial, recognition between melamine and thymine may occur
if only 1 complementary nucleobase is available. Association correlates
directly with fractional thymine content, with optimal binding when
the number of T–T sites match the number of melamine units.
Interestingly, when a DNA host has more T–T sites than melamine
sites on bPNA, two or three bPNAs can bind to a single DNA, resulting
in ternary and quaternary complexes that have higher thermal stability
than the binary (1:1) bPNA–DNA complex, suggestive of cooperative
multisite binding. In contrast, when two bPNAs of different lengths
bind to the same DNA host, a ternary complex is formed with two melting
transitions, corresponding to independent melting of each bPNA component
from the complex. These data demonstrate that melamine-displaying
bPNA recognize thymine-rich DNA in predictable and multifaceted ways
that allow binding affinity, structure stability, and stoichiometry
to be tuned through simple bPNA length modification and matching with
DNA length. Synthetic bPNA structuring elements may be useful tools
for biotechnology
Bifacial Peptide Nucleic Acid as an Allosteric Switch for Aptamer and Ribozyme Function
We demonstrate herein that bifacial
peptide nucleic acid (bPNA)
hybrid triplexes functionally substitute for duplex DNA or RNA. Structure–function
loss in three non-coding nucleic acids was inflicted by replacement
of a duplex stem with unstructured oligo-T/U strands, which are bPNA
binding sites. Functional rescue was observed on refolding of the
oligo-T/U strands into bPNA triplex hybrid stems. Bifacial PNA binding
was thus used to allosterically switch-on protein and small-molecule
binding in DNA and RNA aptamers, as well as catalytic bond scission
in a ribozyme. Duplex stems that support the catalytic site of a minimal
type I hammerhead ribozyme were replaced with oligo-U loops, severely
crippling or ablating the native RNA splicing function. Refolding
of the U-loops into bPNA triplex stems completely restored splicing
function in the hybrid system. These studies indicate that bPNA may
have general utility as an allosteric trigger for a wide range of
functions in non-coding nucleic acids
Guanosine-Based Supramolecular Hydrogels with Dynamic Time-Dependent Fluorescence for Information Encryption
Dynamic time-dependent fluorescent encrypted hydrogels
provide
a highly secure and sophisticated information security strategy. However,
challenges still remain in developing new green encrypted hydrogels
with simple preparation. Herein, a new series of guanosine (G)-based
supramolecular hydrogels with dynamic time-dependent fluorescence
rather than traditional fluorescent materials are exquisitely constructed
via a one-pot reaction for the first time. Typically, their fluorescence
intensity and wavelength can gradually change with the time dimension
of more than 1 year, showing promising potential in information encryption–decryption–destruction.
A detailed timescale structure characterization combined with the
transition-state analysis of the self-assembly process revealed that
the G-quartet-based self-assembly in hydrogels has significant endogenous
dynamics, which further affects gelation and time-dependent fluorescence
through the self-assembly rate. Further combined with the excellent
shear thinning, self-healing, and metal ion response properties, the
writing, storage, reading, and ″burning after reading″
of information can be successfully realized in a long-term dimension.
Therefore, this study illustrates that the ingenious use of functional
supramolecular self-assembly building blocks will be a useful strategy
for the development of dynamic time-dependent fluorescent encrypted
hydrogels
Peptide Ligation and RNA Cleavage via an Abiotic Template Interface
We report herein DNA- and RNA-templated
chemical transformation
of bifacial peptide nucleic acid (bPNA) fragments directed by an abiotic
triplex hybrid interface. Assembly of one bPNA strand with two unstructured
oligo T/U strands enables facile insertion of DNA and RNA template
sites within partially folded nucleic acids; this template topology
is not easily accessed through native base-pairing. Triplex hybridization
of reactive bPNA fragments on DNA and RNA templates is shown to catalyze
amide bond ligation and controlled bPNA chain extension. RNA-templated
oxidative coupling of bPNA fragments is found to result in the emergence
of ribozyme cleavage function, thus establishing a connection between
engineered and native reaction sites. These data demonstrate the use
of new topologies in nucleic acid-templated chemistry that could serve
as chemically sensitive DNA and RNA switches
Guanosine-Based Supramolecular Hydrogels with Dynamic Time-Dependent Fluorescence for Information Encryption
Dynamic time-dependent fluorescent encrypted hydrogels
provide
a highly secure and sophisticated information security strategy. However,
challenges still remain in developing new green encrypted hydrogels
with simple preparation. Herein, a new series of guanosine (G)-based
supramolecular hydrogels with dynamic time-dependent fluorescence
rather than traditional fluorescent materials are exquisitely constructed
via a one-pot reaction for the first time. Typically, their fluorescence
intensity and wavelength can gradually change with the time dimension
of more than 1 year, showing promising potential in information encryption–decryption–destruction.
A detailed timescale structure characterization combined with the
transition-state analysis of the self-assembly process revealed that
the G-quartet-based self-assembly in hydrogels has significant endogenous
dynamics, which further affects gelation and time-dependent fluorescence
through the self-assembly rate. Further combined with the excellent
shear thinning, self-healing, and metal ion response properties, the
writing, storage, reading, and ″burning after reading″
of information can be successfully realized in a long-term dimension.
Therefore, this study illustrates that the ingenious use of functional
supramolecular self-assembly building blocks will be a useful strategy
for the development of dynamic time-dependent fluorescent encrypted
hydrogels
Average F-measures obtained from different settings of <i>m</i>.
<p>Average F-measures obtained from different settings of <i>m</i>.</p
Results of segmentation on images with complex backgrounds.
<p>Results of segmentation on images with complex backgrounds.</p