Search results for "nucleic acid"

Reconfigurable DNA Origami Nanocapsule for pH-Controlled Encapsulation and Display of Cargo

2019

DNA nanotechnology provides a toolbox for creating custom and precise nanostructures with nanometer-level accuracy. These nano-objects are often static by nature and serve as versatile templates for assembling various molecular components in a user-defined way. In addition to the static structures, the intrinsic programmability of DNA nanostructures allows the design of dynamic devices that can perform predefined tasks when triggered with external stimuli, such as drug delivery vehicles whose cargo display or release can be triggered with a specified physical or chemical cue in the biological environment. Here, we present a DNA origami nanocapsule that can be loaded with cargo and reversibl…

Molecular phylogeny and ultrastructure of the lichen microalga Asterochloris mediterranea sp. nov. from Mediterranean and Canary Islands ecosystems

2015

The microalgae of the genus Asterochloris are the preferential phycobionts in Cladonia, Lepraria and Stereocaulon lichens. Recent studies have highlighted the hidden diversity of the genus, even though phycobionts hosting Cladonia spp. in Mediterranean and Canarian ecosystems have been poorly explored. Phylogenetic analyses were made by concatenation of the sequences obtained with a plastid -LSU rDNA- and two nuclear -ITS rDNA and actin- molecular markers of the phycobionts living in several populations of Cladonia convoluta-C. foliacea complex, C. rangiformis and C. cervicornis species widely distributed in these areas in a great variety of substrata and habitats. A new strongly supported …

The CdCl2 effects on synthetic DNAs encaged in the nanodomains of a cationic water-in-oil microemulsion

2011

The present work is dedicated to the study of the interactions of CdCl(2) with the synthetic polynucleotides polyAT and polyGC confined in the nanoscopic aqueous compartment of the water-in-oil microemulsion CTAB/pentanol/hexane/water, with the goal to mimic in vitro the situation met by the nucleic acids in vivo. In biological structures, in fact, very long strings of nucleic acids are segregated into very small compartments having a radius exceedingly smaller than the length of the encapsulated macromolecule. For comparison, the behaviour of polyGC was also studied in aqueous solutions of matched composition. The conformational and thermal stabilities of both polynucleotides enclosed in t…

Inulin cationic derivatives obtained via enhanched microwave synthesis for nucleic acid based drugs delivery

2012

Optimizing the SYBR green related cyanine dye structure to aim for brighter nucleic acid visualization

2022

In recent years, the studies of RNA and its use for the development of RNA based vaccines have increased drastically. Although cyanine dyes are commonly used probes for studying nucleic acids, in a wide range of applications, there is still a growing need for better and brighter dyes. To meet this demand, we have systematically studied the structure of SYBR green-related cyanine dyes to gain a deeper understanding of their interactions with biomolecules especially how they interact with nucleic acids and the structural components which makes them strongly fluorescent. Herein, five new dyes were synthesized, and their photophysical properties were evaluated. Observations of photophysical cha…

Multiplex Amplicon Quantification (MAQ), a fast and efficient method for the simultaneous detection of copy number alterations in neuroblastoma

2010

Abstract Background Cancer genomes display characteristic patterns of chromosomal imbalances, often with diagnostic and prognostic relevance. Therefore assays for genome-wide copy number screening and simultaneous detection of copy number alterations in specific chromosomal regions are of increasing importance in the diagnostic work-up of tumors. Results We tested the performance of Multiplex Amplicon Quantification, a newly developed low-cost, closed-tube and high-throughput PCR-based technique for detection of copy number alterations in regions with prognostic relevance for neuroblastoma. Comparison with array CGH and the established Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification method…

Role of RNA Motifs in RNA Interaction with Membrane Lipid Rafts: Implications for Therapeutic Applications of Exosomal RNAs

2021

RNA motifs may promote interactions with exosomes (EXO-motifs) and lipid rafts (RAFT-motifs) that are enriched in exosomal membranes. These interactions can promote selective RNA loading into exosomes. We quantified the affinity between RNA aptamers containing various EXO- and RAFT-motifs and membrane lipid rafts in a liposome model of exosomes by determining the dissociation constants. Analysis of the secondary structure of RNA molecules provided data about the possible location of EXO- and RAFT-motifs within the RNA structure. The affinity of RNAs containing RAFT-motifs (UUGU, UCCC, CUCC, CCCU) and some EXO-motifs (CCCU, UCCU) to rafted liposomes is higher in comparison to aptamers withou…

Molecular cloning and characterization of the complementary DNA coding for the B-chain of murine Clq

1989

AbstractcDNA clones coding for the B-chain of murine Clq were isolated from a mouse macrophage library. The characterized clones include the total coding region plus a leader sequence. High homology was found with human Clq B-chain in the coding region (81%). Northern blot analysis of total RNA from different tissues of Balb/c mice showed one band of approximately 1.2 kb. The highest signal was found in RNA preparations of thioglycolate-activated peritoneal macrophages. The probe also hybridized with mRNA from spleen, thymus and heart. Extremely weak signals were found in liver, kidney, lung and intestine tissues.

Synthesis of nucleoside and nucleotide conjugates of bile acids, and polymerase construction of bile acid-functionalized DNA.

2010

Aqueous Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions of 5-iodopyrimidine or 7-iodo-7-deazaadenine nucleosides with bile acid-derived terminal acetylenes linked via an ester or amide tether gave the corresponding bile acid–nucleoside conjugates. Analogous reactions of halogenated nucleoside triphosphates gave directly bile acid-modified dNTPs. Enzymatic incorporation of these modified nucleotides to DNA was successfully performed using Phusion polymerase for primer extension. One of the dNTPs (dCTP bearing cholic acid) was also efficient for PCR amplification.

Design, synthesis, DNA-binding and cytotoxicity evaluation of new potential combilexines

2002

Combilexines, compounds in which a DNA intercalator is linked to a minor groove binding component, interact with the DNA in a sequence specific manner to yield in most cases compounds with anticancer activity. A series of new compounds closely related to netropsin in which the two components were linked by an amide group was synthesised as potential combilexines. As some of these compounds showed cytotoxic activity in vitro, an attempt was made to rationalise their mechanism of action. The DNA binding characteristics of the carboxamides were evaluated by thermal denaturation experiments and by ethidium bromide displacement assay. Their ability to inhibit the topoisomerase I was also determi…