Biophysical Society Thematic Meeting - June 28-July 1, 2015

New Biological Frontiers Illuminated by Molecular Sensors and Actuators

Poster Abstracts

18-POS Board 18 Fluorescent Nucleic Acid Systems: Design, Construction and Biosensing Byeang Hyean Kim . POSTECH, Pohang, Gyeong-buk, South Korea. Sequence specific hybridization probes composed of fluorescent synthetic oligonucleotides have been developed for genetic analysis in the post-genomic era. Currently such fluorescent oligonucleotides play a decisive role in analysis of the genetic information and DNA sensing such as SNP typing. Fluorescent nucleic acid systems are widely applied in various fields, from fundamental biological probes to nano-construction, Nucleic acids are used as a scaffold for arranging aromatic fluorophore assemblies, either by insertion into the DNA base pairs or by stacking via the duplex. Moreover, chemical modifications of nucleic acids are accessible by the modified DNA phosphoramidites or postsynthetic approach, and provide with new and interesting fluorescent nucleic acids systems. Fluorescent nucleic acid systems represent an extensive and exciting research area in chemistry as well as in biotechnology and photophysics. We have synthesized and investigated new fluorescent nucleic acid systems for probing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), structural changes of DNA4 and ligand interaction with RNA bulge. We have developed the new type of molecular beacon, quencher-free molecular beacon (QF- MB), that exhibits several advantageous features, including a high level discrimination between the target and its single-mismatched congeners and an economical device set-up due to the absence of the quencher. We have also designed and synthesized the probing system for quadruplex structures of DNA (G-quadruplex and i-motif) and B-Z transition. Strong π–π stacking interactions in nucleic acids can be used to generate novel secondary structures. We have investigated the fluorescent phenomena and structures of pyrene modified oligodeoxyadenylate and oligodeoxyguanylate. The covalently linked pyrenes induced the formation of a self-assembled olgiodeoxyadenylate duplex5 and various secondary structures with interesting fluorescence phenomena. Various results using fluorescent nucleic acid systems will be discussed.

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