Dr. Philipp Scharf*, Ph.D., Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany, presents:
Functionalization of the nucleic acids DNA and GNA by introduction of artificial nucleobases is a growing field concerning several chemical disciplines (GNA = glycol nucleic acid). The use of ligands as nucleobases results in metal-mediated base pairs where hydrogen bonds between complementary nucleobases are formally replaced by coordinative bonds to transition-metal ions. This offers the opportunity to modify the properties of these macromolecules and to expand the genetic code, especially for applications in nanotechnology regarding conductivity, magnetism and supramolecular assembly.
The presentation will discuss synthesis of a novel GNA building block of the ligand 1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]-phenanthroline and its integration into a DNA oligonucleotide. Formation of chimeric metal-mediated GNA/DNA base pairs incorporated into a DNA double helix will be described. Study of the stability of the duplex revealed some unexpected and interesting effects.
*Currently at Science Institute, University of Iceland