We present graphene oxide (GO)-based studies of an interesting property of peptide nucleic acids (PNAs), and discuss the important roles of nucleobases in PNAs in absorption onto the GO surface and in the strong and specific binding to the target protein. By employing a recently developed GO-based assay, we observed that PNAs could be assembled with GO as could single-stranded DNAs, and found that a 15-mer PNA with the nucleobase sequence identical to the well-known anti-thrombin DNA aptamer could strongly and selectively bind to thrombin. Our observations suggest a more important role of nucleobases in certain aptamers in their strong and selective binding to the target molecules, allowing PNAs to be recognized as a new class of aptamers. These results are collectively the first demonstration that PNAs are an alternative to antibodies, as are DNA- or RNA-based aptamers. Our study may provide a base not only for suggesting new experiments but also for developing new ideas in future diagnostics and therapeutics development.

Peptide nucleic acids as a class of aptamers

248th National Meeting (2014)

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