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Elskens J, Madder A. Crosslinker-modified nucleic acid probes for improved target identification and biomarker detection. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:410-422. [PMID: 34458792 PMCID: PMC8341421 DOI: 10.1039/d0cb00236d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the intricate interaction pattern of nucleic acids with other molecules is essential to gain further insight in biological processes and disease mechanisms. To this end, a multitude of hybridization-based assays have been designed that rely on the non-covalent recognition between complementary nucleic acid sequences. However, the ephemeral nature of these interactions complicates straightforward analysis as low efficiency and specificity are rule rather than exception. By covalently locking nucleic acid interactions by means of a crosslinking agent, the overall efficiency, specificity and selectivity of hybridization-based assays could be increased. In this mini-review we highlight methodologies that exploit the use of crosslinker-modified nucleic acid probes for interstrand nucleic acid crosslinking with the objective to study, detect and identify important targets as well as nucleic acid sequences that can be considered relevant biomarkers. We emphasize on the usefulness and advantages of crosslinking agents and elaborate on the chemistry behind the crosslinking reactions they induce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joke Elskens
- Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University Krijgslaan 281 Building S4 9000 Ghent Belgium +32-9-264-49-98 +32-9-264-44-72
| | - Annemieke Madder
- Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University Krijgslaan 281 Building S4 9000 Ghent Belgium +32-9-264-49-98 +32-9-264-44-72
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2
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Szabat M, Kierzek E, Kierzek R. Modified RNA triplexes: Thermodynamics, structure and biological potential. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13023. [PMID: 30158667 PMCID: PMC6115336 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31387-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The occurrence of triplexes in vivo has been well documented and is determined by the presence of long homopurine-homopyrimidine tracts. The formation of these structures is the result of conformational changes that occur in the duplex, which allow the binding of a third strand within the major groove of the helix. Formation of these noncanonical forms by introducing synthetic triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) into the cell may have applications in molecular biology, diagnostics and therapy. This study focused on the formation of RNA triplexes as well as their thermal stability and biological potential in the HeLa cell line. Thermodynamics studies revealed that the incorporation of multiple locked nucleic acid (LNA) and 2-thiouridine (2-thioU) residues increased the stability of RNA triplexes. These data suggest that the number and position of the modified nucleotides within TFOs significantly stabilize the formed structures. Moreover, specificity of the interactions between the modified TFOs and the RNA hairpin was characterized using electrophoretic mobility-shift assay (EMSA), and triplex dissociation constants have been also determined. Finally, through quantitative analysis of GFP expression, the triplex structures were shown to regulate GFP gene silencing. Together, our data provide a first glimpse into the thermodynamic, structural and biological properties of LNA- and 2-thioU modified RNA triplexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Szabat
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704, Poznan, Poland
| | - Elzbieta Kierzek
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704, Poznan, Poland
| | - Ryszard Kierzek
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704, Poznan, Poland.
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Tateishi-Karimata H, Ohyama T, Muraoka T, Podbevsek P, Wawro AM, Tanaka S, Nakano SI, Kinbara K, Plavec J, Sugimoto N. Newly characterized interaction stabilizes DNA structure: oligoethylene glycols stabilize G-quadruplexes CH-π interactions. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:7021-7030. [PMID: 28453855 PMCID: PMC5499538 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligoethylene glycols are used as crowding agents in experiments that aim to understand the effects of intracellular environments on DNAs. Moreover, DNAs with covalently attached oligoethylene glycols are used as cargo carriers for drug delivery systems. To investigate how oligoethylene glycols interact with DNAs, we incorporated deoxythymidine modified with oligoethylene glycols of different lengths, such as tetraethylene glycol (TEG), into DNAs that form antiparallel G-quadruplex or hairpin structures such that the modified residues were incorporated into loop regions. Thermodynamic analysis showed that because of enthalpic differences, the modified G-quadruplexes were stable and the hairpin structures were slightly unstable relative to unmodified DNA. The stability of G-quadruplexes increased with increasing length of the ethylene oxides and the number of deoxythymidines modified with ethylene glycols in the G-quadruplex. Nuclear magnetic resonance analyses and molecular dynamics calculations suggest that TEG interacts with bases in the G-quartet and loop via CH–π and lone pair–π interactions, although it was previously assumed that oligoethylene glycols do not directly interact with DNAs. The results suggest that numerous cellular co-solutes likely affect DNA function through these CH–π and lone pair–π interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisae Tateishi-Karimata
- Frontier Institute for Biomolecular Engineering Research (FIBER), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Ohyama
- Frontier Institute for Biomolecular Engineering Research (FIBER), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Takahiro Muraoka
- Tokyo Institute of Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan
| | - Peter Podbevsek
- Slovenian NMR Center, National Institute of Chemistry, Slovenia
| | - Adam M Wawro
- Tokyo Institute of Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan
| | - Shigenori Tanaka
- Department of Computational Science, Graduate School of System Informatics, Kobe University, 1-1, Rokkodai, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Shu-Ichi Nakano
- Graduate School of Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Kazushi Kinbara
- Tokyo Institute of Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan
| | - Janez Plavec
- Slovenian NMR Center, National Institute of Chemistry, Slovenia
| | - Naoki Sugimoto
- Frontier Institute for Biomolecular Engineering Research (FIBER), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.,Graduate School of Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
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Kolevzon N, Yavin E. Site-Specific DNA Photocleavage and Photomodulation by Oligonucleotide Conjugates. Oligonucleotides 2010; 20:263-75. [DOI: 10.1089/oli.2010.0247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Netanel Kolevzon
- The School of Pharmacy, The Institute for Drug Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Eylon Yavin
- The School of Pharmacy, The Institute for Drug Research, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Biton A, Ezra A, Kasparkova J, Brabec V, Yavin E. DNA photocleavage by DNA and DNA-LNA amino acid-dye conjugates. Bioconjug Chem 2010; 21:616-21. [PMID: 20345124 DOI: 10.1021/bc900372h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
DNA photocleavage by triplex forming oligonucleotides (TFO) has potential implications in both biotechnology and medicine. We have synthesized a series of homopurine DNA and DNA/LNA 14-mers to which an amino acid (glycine or l-tryptophan) and a cyanine dye are covalently linked. Two cyanine dyes were examined that include a quinolinium ring linked to a benzothiazolium ring through a monomethine (TO1) or trimethine (TO2) linker. The 14-mer sequence was chosen to target mdm2, a ubiquitin ligase (E3) that regulates p53 by promoting its ubiquitylation and proteosomal degradation. Such inhibition has been previously proposed as a therapeutic approach to target wild-type p53-expressing cancers. To examine whether our TFO conjugates photocleave the mdm2 target, we incubated the various conjugates with the mdm2 plasmid and irradiated the samples with visible light. We show that only the TFO with the complementary sequence and with an intervening l-tryptophan leads to the linearization of the plasmid after a short irradiation time (10 min) exciting the dye (lambda(max)(TO1) = 500 nm and lambda(max)(TO2) = 630 nm) with visible light. Furthermore, the photoreactivity is more pronounced for the LNA/DNA conjugate, an observation that is consistent with improved hybridization to the DNA target. Sequence specificity of the photoreaction is further corroborated on a synthetic 44-mer duplex containing the TFO site. Evidence for a ROS-dependent mechanism is also given and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adva Biton
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Hadassah Ein-Karem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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Prater CE, Saleh AD, Wear MP, Miller PS. Chimeric RNase H-competent oligonucleotides directed to the HIV-1 Rev response element. Bioorg Med Chem 2007; 15:5386-95. [PMID: 17566743 PMCID: PMC1987364 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2007.05.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2007] [Revised: 05/23/2007] [Accepted: 05/29/2007] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric oligo-2'-O-methylribonucleotides containing centrally located patches of contiguous 2'-deoxyribonucleotides and terminating in a nuclease resistant 3'-methylphosphonate internucleotide linkage were prepared. The oligonucleotides were targeted to the 3'-side of HIV Rev response element (RRE) stem-loop IIB RNA, which is adjacent to the high affinity Rev protein binding site and is critical to virus function. Thermal denaturation experiments showed that chimeric oligonucleotides form very stable duplexes with a complementary single-stranded RNA, and gel electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) showed that they bind with high affinity and specificity to RRE stem-loop II RNA (K(D) approximately 200 nM). The chimeric oligonucleotides promote RNase H-mediated hydrolysis of RRE stem-loop II RNA and have half-lives exceeding 24h when incubated in cell culture medium containing 10% fetal calf serum. One of the chimeric oligonucleotides inhibited RRE mediated expression of chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) approximately 60% at a concentration of 300 nM in HEK 293T cells co-transfected with p-RRE/CAT and p-Rev mammalian expression vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Paul S. Miller
- * Correspondence should be addressed to Paul S. Miller, . Phone: (410)-955-3489, Fax: (410)-955-2926
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Cassidy RA, Puri N, Miller PS. Effect of DNA target sequence on triplex formation by oligo-2'-deoxy- and 2'-O-methylribonucleotides. Nucleic Acids Res 2003; 31:4099-108. [PMID: 12853627 PMCID: PMC165951 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkg436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The interactions of pyrimidine deoxyribo- or 2'-O-methylribo-psoralen-conjugated, triplex-forming oligonucleotides, psTFOs, with a 17-bp env-DNA whose purine tract is 5'-AGAGAGAAAAAAGAG-3', or an 18-bp gag-DNA whose purine tract is 5'-AGG GGGAAAGAAAAAA-3', were studied over the pH range 6.0-7.5. The stability of the triplex formed by a deoxy-env-psTFO containing 5-methylcytosines and thymines decreased with increasing pH (T(m) = 56 degrees C at pH 6.0; 27 degrees C at pH 7.5). Replacement of 5-methylcytosines with 8-oxo-adenines reduced the pH dependence, but lowered triplex stability. A 2'-O-methyl-env-psTFO containing uracil and cytosine did not form a triplex at pH 7.5. Surprisingly, replacement of the cytosines in this oligomer with 5-methylcytosines dramatically increased triplex stability (T(m) = 25 degrees C at pH 7.5), and even greater stability was achieved by selective replacement of uracils with thymines (T(m) = 37 degrees C at pH 7.5). Substitution of the contiguous 5-methylcytosines of the deoxy-gag-psTFO with 8-oxo-adenines significantly reduced pH dependence and increased triplex stability. In contrast to the behavior of env-specific TFOs, triplexes formed by 2'-O-methyl-gag-psTFOs did not show enhanced stability. Replacement of the 3'-terminal phosphodiester of the TFO with a methylphosphonate group significantly increased the resistance of both deoxy- and 2'-O-methyl-TFOs to degradation by 3'-exonucleases, while maintaining triplex stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Cassidy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Guntaka RV, Varma BR, Weber KT. Triplex-forming oligonucleotides as modulators of gene expression. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2003; 35:22-31. [PMID: 12467644 DOI: 10.1016/s1357-2725(02)00165-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) have gained prominence in the recent years because of their potential applications in antigene therapy. In particular they have been used as (i) inducers of site-specific mutations, (ii) reagents that selectively and specifically cleave target DNA, and (iii) as modulators of gene expression. In this mini-review, we have made an attempt to highlight the characteristics of these TFOs and the effects of various modifications in the phosphate backbone as well as in the purine and pyrimidine moieties, which contribute to the stability and efficiency of triplex formation. Studies to explore the mechanism of down-regulation of transcription of various genes suggest that at least some TFOs exert their effect by inhibiting binding of specific transcription factors to their cognate cis-acting elements. Recent reports indicate the presence of these potential triplex-forming DNA structures in the genomes of prokaryotes and eukaryotes that may play a major role in target site selection and chromosome segregation as well as in the cause of heritable diseases. Finally, some potential problems in the development of these TFOs as antigene therapeutic agents have also been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramareddy V Guntaka
- Department of Molecular Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 858 Madison Ave., Memphis, TN 38163, USA.
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Puri N, Majumdar A, Cuenoud B, Natt F, Martin P, Boyd A, Miller PS, Seidman MM. Targeted gene knockout by 2'-O-aminoethyl modified triplex forming oligonucleotides. J Biol Chem 2001; 276:28991-8. [PMID: 11389147 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m103409200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Triplex forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) are of interest because of their potential for facile gene targeting. However, the failure of TFOs to bind target sequences at physiological pH and Mg(2+) concentration has limited their biological applications. Recently, pyrimidine TFOs with 2'-O-aminoethyl (AE) substitutions were shown to have enhanced kinetics and stability of triplex formation (Cuenoud, B., Casset, F., Husken, D., Natt, F., Wolf, R. M., Altmann, K. H., Martin, P., and Moser H. E. (1998) Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 37, 1288--1291). We have prepared psoralen-linked TFOs with varying amounts of the AE-modified residues, and have characterized them in biochemical assays in vitro, and in stability and HPRT gene knockout assays in vivo. The AE TFOs showed higher affinity for the target in vitro than a TFO with uniform 2'-OMe substitution, with relatively little loss of affinity when the assay was performed in reduced Mg(2+). Once formed they were also more stable in "physiological" buffer, with the greatest affinity and stability displayed by the TFO with all but one residue in the AE format. However, TFOs with lesser amounts of the AE modification formed the most stable triplexes in vivo, and showed the highest HPRT gene knockout activity. We conclude that the AE modification can enhance the biological activity of pyrimidine TFOs, but that extensive substitution is deleterious.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Puri
- NIA, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA
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