The synthesis of 2'-O-methyl G-clamp containing oligonucleotides and their inhibition of the HIV-1 Tat-TAR interaction

In vitro antibacterial activity of Phx-3 against Helicobacter pylori

Phx-3, one of the phenoxazine derivatives, is reported to have inhibitory effect on Mycobacterium species and Chlamydia pneumoniae but not Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes. The bactericidal activities of Phx-3 against Helicobacter pylori strains have not been assessed. Then, we measured minimum inhibitory concentration of Phx-3 for Helicobacter strains and assessed the morphological and biochemical effects of Phx-3 on H. pylori. In present study, it has shown that H. pylori strains including clarithromycin resistant strain and Helicobacter musterae were killed effectively by the treatment with Phx-3. Furthermore, severe morphological changes such as membrane blebbing and formation of hollows in H. pylori were detected. In addition, induction of heat shock protein 60 was observed. Taken together, Phx-3 has antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori.

Steric block high affinity oligonucleotide analogues: a new tool for mapping RNA-protein binding sites

Steric-block ON analogues are efficient inhibitors of RNA-protein interaction and therefore have potential to probe RNA sequences for putative protein binding sites and to investigate mechanisms of protein binding. The packaging process of HIV-1 is highly specific involving an interaction between the Gag protein and a conserved sequence that is only present on genomic viral RNA. Using oligonucleotide probes we have confirmed that the terminal purine loop is the major Gag binding site on SL3 and that a secondary Gag binding site exists at an internal purine bulge. We also demonstrate direct binding of oligonucleotide to their binding sites and confirm this interaction does not alter global RNA conformation, making them highly specific, nondisruptive probes of RNA protein interactions.

Inhibition of HIV-1 replication by oligonucleotide analogues directed to the packaging signal and trans-activating response region

HIV possesses a remarkable capacity for mutational escape from therapeutics that target the viral proteins and enzymes. Inhibitory strategies aimed at highly conserved nucleic acid sequences within the genome are an attractive alternative. However, it has proven difficult to achieve an effective level of therapeutic at the appropriate site within the cell. Oligonucleotide delivery is a rapidly advancing field. We have investigated oligonucleotide analogues as steric-block therapeutics against two highly conserved regions of the HIV-1 genome. In the study we show that 2'0-methyl/locked nucleic acid oligonucleotides against the packaging signal and trans-activating response regions of HIV can inhibit replication of the virus.