Complementary RNA Strands Research Articles

DNA and LNA oligonucleotides containing N2′-functionalised derivatives of 2′-amino-2′-deoxyuridine

Synthesis of various N-acylated derivatives of 2′-amino-2′-deoxyuridine is described together with their incorporation into DNA and LNA oligonucleotides using the phosphoramidite approach on an automated DNA synthesizer. The thermal stabilities of duplexes formed by these 2′-amino-DNA-modified DNA or LNA/DNA chimeric strands and complementary DNA or RNA strands have been studied. Introduction of LNA monomers around the functionalised 2′-amino-DNA modifications results in reversal of the affinity-decreasing effect of the latter. This represents a novel general approach for design and synthesis of high-affinity functionalised oligonucleotides for biotechnological or medicinal applications.

Ddx42p--a human DEAD box protein with RNA chaperone activities

The human gene ddx42 encodes a human DEAD box protein highly homologous to the p68 subfamily of RNA helicases. In HeLa cells, two ddx42 poly(A)+ RNA species were detected both encoding the nuclear localized 938 amino acid Ddx42p polypeptide. Ddx42p has been heterologously expressed and its biochemical properties characterized. It is an RNA binding protein, and ATP and ADP modulate its RNA binding affinity. Ddx42p is an NTPase with a preference for ATP, the hydrolysis of which is enhanced by various RNA substrates. It acts as a non-processive RNA helicase. Interestingly, RNA unwinding by Ddx42p is promoted in the presence of a single-strand (ss) binding protein (T4gp32). Ddx42p, particularly in the ADP-bound form (the state after ATP hydrolysis), also mediates efficient annealing of complementary RNA strands thereby displacing the ss binding protein. Ddx42p therefore represents the first example of a human DEAD box protein possessing RNA helicase, protein displacement and RNA annealing activities. The adenosine nucleotide cofactor bound to Ddx42p apparently acts as a switch that controls the two opposing activities: ATP triggers RNA strand separation, whereas ADP triggers annealing of complementary RNA strands.

Pyrene is highly emissive when attached to the RNA duplex but not to the DNA duplex: the structural basis of this difference

Through binding and fluorescence studies of oligonucleotides covalently attached to a pyrene group via one carbon linker at the sugar residue, we previously found that pyrene-modified RNA oligonucleotides do not emit well in the single-stranded form, yet the attached pyrene emits with a significantly high quantum yield upon binding to a complementary RNA strand. In sharp contrast, similarly modified pyrene–DNA probes exhibit very weak fluorescence both in the double-stranded and single-stranded forms. The pyrene-modified RNA oligonucleotides therefore provide a useful tool for monitoring RNA hybridization. The purpose of this paper is to present the structural basis for the different fluorescence properties of pyrene-modified RNA/RNA and pyrene-modified DNA/DNA duplexes. The results of absorption, fluorescence anisotropy and circular dichroism studies all consistently indicated that the pyrene attached to the RNA duplex is located outside of the duplex, whereas the pyrene incorporated into the DNA duplex intercalates into the double helix. 1H NMR measurements unambiguously confirmed that the pyrene attached to the DNA duplex indeed intercalates between the base pairs of the duplex. Molecular dynamics simulations support these differences in the local structural elements around the pyrene between the pyrene–RNA/RNA and the pyrene–DNA/DNA duplexes.

SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF A NOVEL BRIDGED NUCLEIC ACID ANALOGUE, 5′-AMINO-3′,5′-BNA

An oligonucleotide P3′⇉N5′ phosphoramidate (5′-amino-DNA) attracts much attention because of its potential for application to DNA sequencing; however, its ability to hybridize with complementary strands is low. To overcome this drawback of the 5′-amino-DNA, we have designed and successfully synthesized a novel nucleic acid analogue having a P3′⇉N5′ phosphoramidate linkage and a constrained sugar moiety, 5′-amino-3′-C,5′-N-methylene bridged nucleic acid (5′-amino-3′,5′-BNA). The binding affinity of the 5′-amino-3′,5′-BNA towards complementary DNA and RNA strands was investigated by UV melting experiments. The melting temperature (Tm) of the duplex comprising the 5′-amino-3′,5′-BNA and its complementary strand was much higher than that of the duplex containing the corresponding 5′-amino-DNA.

Viral RNA-directed RNA Polymerases Use Diverse Mechanisms to Promote Recombination between RNA Molecules

An earlier developed purified cell-free system was used to explore the potential of two RNA-directed RNA polymerases (RdRps), Qbeta phage replicase and the poliovirus 3Dpol protein, to promote RNA recombination through a primer extension mechanism. The substrates of recombination were fragments of complementary strands of a Qbeta phage-derived RNA, such that if aligned at complementary 3'-termini and extended using one another as a template, they would produce replicable molecules detectable as RNA colonies grown in a Qbeta replicase-containing agarose. The results show that while 3Dpol efficiently extends the aligned fragments to produce the expected homologous recombinant sequences, only nonhomologous recombinants are generated by Qbeta replicase at a much lower yield and through a mechanism not involving the extension of RNA primers. It follows that the mechanisms of RNA recombination by poliovirus and Qbeta RdRps are quite different. The data favor an RNA transesterification reaction catalyzed by a conformation acquired by Qbeta replicase during RNA synthesis and provide a likely explanation for the very low frequency of homologous recombination in Qbeta phage.

A surface-mediated origin of the RNA world: biogenic activities of clay-adsorbed RNA molecules

The involvement of clay surfaces in the origin of the first genetic molecules on Earth has long been suggested. However, the formation of these polymers was not sufficient by itself to initiate the evolutionary process leading to the appearance of life. These macromolecules had to persist in primeval habitats so that their biological potentiality could be expressed. In this study, we assess the possibility of development of the RNA world on a clay substrate by investigating the capacity of different RNA molecules adsorbed/bound on the clay minerals montmorillonite (M) and kaolinite (K) to persist in the presence of a degrading agent (RNase-A), to interact specifically with complementary RNA strands, and to transmit the information contained in their nucleotide sequences. The RNase-A degradation of clay-adsorbed 23S rRNA from Escherichia coli was significantly slower (75–80%) than that observed for free rRNA, and the complete digestion of nucleic acid in the presence of clay was obtained in 2 vs. 1 h. Clay-adsorbed Poly[A] homopolymer was able to recognize the complementary Poly[U] homopolymer present in the surrounding water solution and to establish a specific interaction (association) with it, possibly leading to the formation of double strands. Reverse transcription and amplification (RT–PCR) amplification of free and clay-adsorbed 16S indicated that the presence of clay particles partially reduced the efficiency and processivity of reverse transcriptase but did not inhibit its activity, demonstrating that clay-adsorbed RNA is still available for enzymatic replication. These findings indicate that primordial genetic molecules adsorbed on clay minerals would have been protected against degrading agents present in the environment and would have been in the right conditions to undergo evolutionary processes.

Synthesis and properties of 2'-O-cyanoethylated RNA derivatives

We developed a new protocol for the cyanoethylation of the hydroxyl function of nucleosides. A new system of Cs2CO3-tBuOH proved to be the best for the cyanoethylation. An oligonucleotide incorporating 2'-O-cyanoethylated uridine has high affinity (deltaTm = 0.6 degrees C/modification) for the complementary DNA or RNA strand than the corresponding 2'-O-methyl-RNA.

The complete nucleotide sequence of a Spanish isolate of Citrus psorosis virus: comparative analysis with other ophioviruses.

The complete genomic sequence (11278 nt) of Citrus psorosis virus (CPsV), isolate P-121 from Spain, was determined and compared with those from isolate CPV-4 and from other ophioviruses. The three RNAs of P-121 had similar size and identical organization as those of CPV-4. The 24K and the RdRp proteins were potentially encoded in the viral complementary (vc) strand of RNA 1, the 54K protein potentially encoded in vcRNA 2 and the coat protein encoded in vcRNA 3. These four proteins from P-121 and CPV-4 had 87, 92, 93 and 94% amino acid identity, respectively, but only 22, 38, 25 and 33% identity with their homologous proteins from Mirafiori lettuce big vein virus (MLBVV), the only other ophiovirus completely sequenced. Biological and genetic differences between CPsV and MLBVV (and the other ophioviruses), would support their future allocation in different genera within a tentative family Ophioviridae.

Effect of LNA Modifications on Small Molecule Binding to Nucleic Acids

Locked nucleic acid (LNA) is a conformationally constrained DNA analogue that exhibits exceptionally high affinity for complementary DNA and RNA strands. The deoxyribose sugar is modified by a 2′-O, 4′-C oxymethylene bridge, which projects into the minor groove. In addition to changing the distribution of functional groups in the groove and the overall helical geometry relative to unmodified DNA, the bridge likely alters the hydration of the groove. Each of these factors will impact the ability of small molecules, proteins and other nucleic acids to recognize LNA-containing hybrids. This report describes the ability of several DNA-intercalating ligands and one minor groove binder to recognize LNA-DNA and LNA-RNA hybrid duplexes. Using UV-vis, fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopies, we find that the minor groove binder as well as the intercalators exhibit significantly lower affinity for LNA-containing duplexes. The lone exception is the alkaloid ellipticine, which intercalates into LNA-DNA and LNA-RNA duplexes with affinities comparable to unmodified DNA-DNA and RNA-DNA duplexes.

Expanding the Genetic Alphabet: Pyrazine Nucleosides That Support a DonorDonorAcceptor Hydrogen‐Bonding Pattern

AbstractThe 6‐aminopyrazin‐2(1H)‐one, when incorporated as a pyrimidine‐base analog into an oligonucleotide chain, presents a H‐bond donordonoracceptor pattern to a complementary DNA or RNA strand. When paired with the corresponding acceptoracceptordonor purine in oligonucleotides, the heterocycle selectively contributes to the stability of the duplex, presumably by forming a base pair of WatsonCrick geometry joined by a nonstandard H‐bonding pattern, expanding the genetic alphabet. Reported here is a short, high yielding, β‐D‐selective synthesis of a 6‐aminopyrazin‐2(1H)‐one nucleoside via the glycine riboside derivative 28. The key steps include a WittigHorner reaction of an appropriately protected ribose derivative (Scheme 10, 19→21) followed by a Michael‐like ring closure (Scheme 12, 30→1a and 32→1b). Thus, a variety of pyrazine nucleosides (Scheme 13) including the target 6‐aminopyrazin‐2(1H)‐one riboside 1a, and its 5‐methyl derivative 1b, 6‐amino‐5‐methylpyrazin‐2(1H)‐one riboside, are obtained.

A New Route to 2′‐O‐Alkyl‐2‐thiouridine Derivatives via 4‐O‐Protection of the Uracil Base and Hybridization Properties of Oligonucleotides Incorporating These Modified Nucleoside Derivatives.

AbstractFor Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.

Chimeric RNA and 2'-O, 4'-C-ethylene-bridged nucleic acids have stronger activity than phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides in induction of exon 19 skipping in dystrophin mRNA.

Antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides against exon 19 of the dystrophin gene have been shown to induce exon 19 skipping and promote the expression of internally deleted dystrophin by correcting the translational reading frame. Because phosphorothioate oligonucleotides are associated with a variety of toxic nonantisense effects, several modifications of nucleic acid have been introduced to alleviate this toxicity. Recently, a 2'-O, 4'-C-ethylene-bridged nucleic acid (ENA trade mark, Sankyo Lifetech Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) was reported to have high affinity to complementary RNA strands and be resistant to nuclease digestion. Here, we examined the ability of this modified nucleic acid to induce exon skipping. Oligonucleotides having the same sequence as the phosphorothioate oligonucleotides but with some stretches of modified backbone (2'-O-methyl RNA with an ENA5-mer at the 5'-end and 3'-end) (RNA/ENA chimera) were transfected into myocytes, and the expressed dystrophin mRNA was analyzed. The RNA/ENA chimera induced exon 19 skipping in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. Remarkably, the exon 19-skipping activity of the RNA/ENA chimera was more than 40 times stronger than that of the corresponding conventional phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide. This is the first report of such strong activity of an RNA/ENA chimera in the induction of exon skipping in the dystrophin gene. This new technology will allow the development of less toxic antisense drugs, making long-term therapy possible.

A new route to 2'-O-alkyl-2-thiouridine derivatives via 4-O-protection of the uracil base and hybridization properties of oligonucleotides incorporating these modified nucleoside derivatives.

Oligonucleotides containing 2-thiouridine (s2U) in place of uridine form stable RNA duplexes with complementary RNAs. Particularly, this modified nucleoside has proved to recognize highly selectively adenosine, the genuine partner, without formation of a mismatched base pair with the guanosine counterpart. In this paper, we describe new methods for the synthesis of 2-thiouridine and various 2'-O-alkyl-2-thiouridine derivatives. Oligoribonucleotides having these modified nucleoside derivatives were synthesized, and their hybridization and structural properties were studied in detail by the 1H NMR analysis of these modified nucleosides and Tm experiments of RNA duplexes with their complementary RNA strands.

Thermodynamic study of hybridization properties of heterochiral nucleic acids

Heterochiral DNA and RNA heptamers, which contained an unnatural l-nucleotide, were synthesized, and thermodynamic analyses of their hybridization properties with complementary DNA and RNA strands were systematically conducted by UV melting experiments. The results clearly demonstrated that the incorporation of an l-ribonucleotide into the RNA strand leads to more significant destabilization of the duplexes than that of an l-deoxyribonucleotide into the DNA strand, regardless of whether the complementary strand is DNA or RNA. The destabilization of the duplexes by the substitution of d-thymidine with l-thymidine in the DNA strand is entropically driven, whereas that by the substitution of d-uridine with l-uridine in the RNA strand is enthalpically driven. The thermodynamic characteristic that the stability of homochiral duplex is far superior to that of heterochiral duplex is much more remarkable in RNA than in DNA. Thus, RNA might have been a self-replicating system superior to DNA to exclude the chiral antipode.

Citrus psorosis virus RNA 1 is of negative polarity and potentially encodes in its complementary strand a 24K protein of unknown function and 280K putative RNA dependent RNA polymerase

Citrus psorosis virus (CPsV), the type member of genus Ophiovirus, has three genomic RNAs. Complete sequencing of CPsV RNA 1 revealed a size of 8184 nucleotides and Northern blot hybridization with chain specific probes showed that its non-coding strand is preferentially encapsidated. The complementary strand of RNA 1 contains two open reading frames (ORFs) separated by a 109-nt intergenic region, one located near the 5′-end potentially encoding a 24K protein of unknown function, and another of 280K containing the core polymerase motifs characteristic of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp). Comparison of the core RdRp motifs of negative-stranded RNA viruses, supports grouping CPsV, Ranunculus white mottle virus (RWMV) and Mirafiori lettuce virus (MiLV) within the same genus ( Ophiovirus), constituting a monophyletic group separated from all other negative-stranded RNA viruses. Furthermore, RNAs 1 of MiLV, CPsV and RWMV are similar in size and those of MiLV and CPsV also in genomic organization and sequence.

Idiotype–anti-idiotype circuit in non-autoimmune mice after immunization with the epitope and complementary epitope 289–308aa of La/SSB: implications for the maintenance and perpetuation of the anti-La/SSB response

Background: Antibodies to La/SSB are usually found in sera of patients with Sjogren's Syndrome (SS) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Recent work from our laboratory (Mol Med 2002;8:293–305) revealed that an active idiotypic network involving antibodies to epitopes of La/SSB and their anti-idiotypes exist in human sera. The anti-idiotypic antibodies were detected using complementary peptides to B-cell epitopes of the autoantigen. The principle of the complementary peptides is based on the ‘molecular recognition’ theory. According to this theory, translation of two complementary RNA strands (coding and non-coding strand) into protein, generate a pair of peptides, which bind each other with specificity and high affinity. Aim: To investigate antibody production and T-cell responses in non-autoimmune-susceptible animal strains which were immunized with the epitope 289–308aa of La/SSB as well as its complementary epitope. Materials and Methods: Balb/c mice were immunized with a peptide corresponding to epitope 289–308aa (pep) or its complementary (cpep) peptide (5 animals/group). The sera were tested for the presence of antibodies to pep and cpep as well as for epitope spreading to recombinant human La/SSB and a major B-cell epitope of La/SSB spanning the region 349–364aa. Another group of animals was sacrificed on day 10 and T-cell responses against pep and cpep were evaluated in cells from lymph nodes and spleen. Results: Immunizations with either pep or cpep led to the appearance of antibodies against the immunogen peptide by day 31 which subsequently was followed by antibody production to its complementary peptide by day 55. In two out of five animals immunized with the epitope 289–308aa, a spreading of the immune response to epitope 349–364aa was observed. In the remaining three animals, negative for antibodies to pep349–364, a specific treatment of sera, using cpep349–364 revealed that anti-idiotypic antibodies masked antibodies to pep349–364. In all immunization experiments high T-cell proliferative responses to both pep and cpep peptides were detected. Conclusions: Complementary peptides to epitopes of La/SSB can be utilized as probes to study the development of an idiotypic–anti-idiotypic network towards the major autoantigen. The ability of pep and cpep peptides to induce both B-cell and T-cell responses may provide useful insights into understanding further the initiation and maintenance of autoimmune response and create new tools for therapeutic intervention.

Rearrangement of a 1,3-trans-[Pt(NH3)2[(GXG)-N7G,N7G]] intrastrand cross-link into interstrand cross-links within RNA duplexes.

The cross-linking reaction described previously in the DNA and 2'-O-methyl RNA series is extended to RNA duplexes. A 17mer single-stranded RNA containing the 1,3-trans-[Pt(NH3)2[(GAG)-N7G,N7G]] intrastrand chelate, named G*AG* (* indicating a platinated base) gives, upon pairing with the complementary RNA strand, the G*AG/CUC* interstrand cross-link. The rate of the reaction in 200 mM NaClO4 is similar to that observed for DNA-RNA duplexes. It depends on the added Na+ or Mg2+ cation and on its concentration. RNA duplexes containing GA/GA or AG/AG tandem mismatches in the rearrangement triplet core were also studied. The major interstrand cross-links, G*AG/CGA* and G*AG/AGC*, are accompanied by a minor one involving the central G of the CGA or AGC complementary sequence G*AG/CG*A and G*AG/AG*C. In 200 mM NaClO4, the G*A/GA tandem mismatch does not modify the rate of the cross-linking rearrangement whereas the AG*/AG mismatch slows it down by a factor of four. Our results reflect the predominance of the local structure of the rearrangement core over the nucleophility of the cross-linking base. They also show that the reaction could be used to trap tertiary structures of naturally occurring RNAs, including those with the commonly encountered GA/GA mismatch.

SYNTHESIS AND HYBRIDIZATION PROPERTIES OF RNA CONTAINING 8-CHLOROADENOSINE

ABSTRACT 8-Chloroadenosine (8-Cl-Ado) has shown potential as a chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of multiple myeloma and certain leukemias. 8-Cl-Ado treatment leads to a decrease in global RNA levels and incorporation of the analog into cellular RNA in malignant cells. To investigate the effects of 8-Cl-Ado modifications on RNA structure and function, an 8-Cl-Ado phosphoramidite and controlled-pore glass support were synthesized and used to introduce 8-Cl-Ado at internal and 3′- terminal positions, respectively. RNA oligonucleotides containing 8-chloroadenine (8-Cl-A) residues were synthesized and hybridized with complementary RNA strands. Circular dichroism spectroscopy of the resulting RNA duplexes revealed that the modified nucleobase does not perturb the overall A-form helix geometry. The thermal stabilities of 8-Cl-Ado modified duplexes were determined by UV thermal denaturation analysis and were compared with analogous natural duplexes containing standard and mismatched base pairs. The 8-Cl-Ado modification destabilizes RNA duplexes by ∼5 kcal/mole, approximately as much as a U:U mismatched base pair. The duplex destabilization of 8-Cl-A may result from perturbation of Watson-Crick base pairing induced by conformational preferences of 8-halogenated nucleosides.

Stereodefined phosphorothioate analogues of DNA: relative thermodynamic stability of the model PS-DNA/DNA and PS-DNA/RNA complexes.

Thermodynamic data regarding the influence of P-chirality on stability of duplexes formed between phosphorothioate DNA oligonucleotides (of either stereo-defined all-R(P) or all-S(P) or random configuration at the P atoms) and complementary DNA or RNA strands are presented. Measured melting temperatures and calculated DeltaG(37)(o) values showed that duplexes formed by PS-DNA oligomers with DNA strands are less stable than their unmodified counterparts. However, relative stability of the duplexes ([all-R(P)]-PS-DNA/DNA vs [all-S(P)]-PS-DNA/DNA) depends on their sequential composition rather than on the absolute configuration of PS-oligos, contrary to the results of theoretical considerations and molecular modeling reported in the literature. On the other hand, for all six analyzed pairs of diastereomers, the [all-R(P)]-PS isomers form more stable duplexes with RNA templates, but the origin of stereodifferentiation depends on the sequence with more favorable entropy and enthalpy factors which correlated with dT-rich and dA/dG-rich PS-oligomers, respectively.

Promoter/Origin Structure of the Complementary Strand of Hepatitis C Virus Genome

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B protein encodes an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Sequences in the 3' termini of both the plus and minus strand of HCV genomic RNA harbor the activity of a replication origin and a transcription promoter. There are unique stem-loop structures in both termini of the viral RNA. We found that the complementary strand of the internal ribosome-binding site (IRES) showed strong template activity in vitro. The complementary strand RNA of the HCV genome works as a template for mRNA and viral genomic RNA. We analyzed the promoter/origin structure of the complementary sequence of IRES and found that the first and second stem-loops worked as negative and positive elements in RNA synthesis, respectively. The complementary strand of the second stem-loop of IRES was an important element also for binding to HCV RdRp.