Targeting a KRAS i-motif forming sequence by unmodified and gamma-modified peptide nucleic acid oligomers.

ABSTRACT: Growing interest in i-motif DNA as a transcriptional regulatory element motivates development of synthetic molecules capable of targeting these structures. In this study, we designed unmodified peptide nucleic acid (PNA) and gamma-modified PNA (γPNA) oligomers complementary to an i-motif forming sequence derived from the promoter of the KRAS oncogene. Biophysical techniques such as circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, CD melting, and fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated the successful invasion of the i-motif by PNA and γPNA. Both PNA and γPNA showed very strong binding to the target sequence with high thermal stability of the resulting heteroduplexes. Interestingly fluorescence and CD experiments indicated formation of an intermolecular i-motif structure via the overhangs of target-prob

SUBMITTER: Sarkar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10078108 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature