Ligand-modified Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNAs) are charge-neutral DNA analogues that can be used as synthons in biomimetic nanotechnology. The highly selective Watson-Crick base-pairing and the relative rigidity and diversity of metal-ligand coordination geometries make metal-containing PNA an excellent material for building of 3D nanostructures. In this study, 5-methylbypiridine-, terpyridine- and 8-hydroxyquinoline-modified PNA oligomers were assembled into duplex systems by a combination of nucleobase base-pairing, and Cu<sup>2+</sup> and Ni<sup>2+</sup> coordination to the terminal ligands. UV-Vis and CD spectroscopies have been used to assess the stoichiometry, thermal stability, and conformational changes induced in the PNA duplexes upon metal coordination. DEER spectroscopy has been utilized to determine the relative orientation of the pairs of PNA duplexes bridged by metal complexes. Our results are of value in the design of hybrid inorganic-nucleic acid systems that can be utilized to build nanostructures of different topologies and physico-chemical properties.

Inter-duplex distance distributions in metal-modified peptide nucleic acids measured by double electron-electron resonance

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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