Locking up the AS1411 Aptamer with a Flanking Duplex: Towards an Improved Nucleolin-Targeting.

ABSTRACT: We have designed AS1411-N6, a derivative of the nucleolin (NCL)-binding aptamer AS1411, by adding six nucleotides to the 5'-end that are complementary to nucleotides at the 3'-end forcing it into a stem-loop structure. We evaluated by several biophysical techniques if AS1411-N6 can adopt one or more conformations, one of which allows NCL binding. We found a decrease of polymorphism of G-quadruplex (G4)-forming sequences comparing to AS1411 and the G4 formation in presence of K+ promotes the duplex folding. We also studied the binding properties of ligands TMPyP4, PhenDC3, PDS, 360A, and BRACO-19 in terms of stability, binding, topology maintenance of AS1411-N6, and NCL recognition. The melting experiments revealed promising stabilizer effects of PhenDC3, 360A, and TMPyP4, and the affinity

SUBMITTER: Miranda A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7916057 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature