A new small molecule DoNA binding to CAG repeat RNA

Abstract

We here report a new molecule DoNA binding to a CAG repeat RNA. DoNA is a dimer of the NA molecule that we previously reported. NA binds with high affinity to a CAG repeat DNA but not significantly to a CAG repeat RNA. Binding analyses using SPR and CSI-TOF MS indicated a significant increase in the affinity of DoNA to a single stranded CAG repeat RNA compared to NA. Systematic investigation of the RNA motifs bound by DoNA using hairpin RNA models revealed that DoNA binds to the CAG units at overhang and terminal positions, and notably, it binds to the structurally flexible internal and hairpin loop region.