Paper Highlights

A cytidine phosphoramidite with protected nitroxide spin label: Synthesis of a full-Length TAR RNA and investigation by in-line probing and EPR spectroscopy

Timo Weinrich, Eva A. Jaumann, Ute Scheffer, Thomas F. Prisner, Michael W. Göbel

Chem. Eur. J. 2018, DOI:10.1002/chem.201800167

A photolabile 2-nitrobenzyloxy methyl group can protect nitroxide spin labels against all critical conditions of chemical RNA synthesis and enzymatic strand ligation.

 


Structural transformation of wireframe DNA origami via DNA polymerase assisted gap-filling

Nayan P. Agarwal, Michael Matthies, Bastian Joffroy, Thorsten L. Schmidt
 
ACS Nano 2018, DOI:10.1021/acsnano.7b08345
 
In this work, we have explored the possibility to synthesize the complementary sequences to single-stranded gap regions in the DNA origami scaffold cost effectively by a DNA polymerase rather than by a DNA synthesizer.
 
 

Reversible modification of DNA by methyltransferase-catalyzed transfer and light-triggered removal of photo-caging groups

L. Anhäuser, F. Muttach, A. Rentmeister
 
Chem. Commun. 2018, DOI:10.1039/C7CC08300A

Methyltransferases are powerful tools for site-specific transfer of non-natural functional groups from synthetic analogs of their cosubstrate S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet). We present a new class of AdoMet analogs containing photo-caging (PC) groups in their side chain, enzymatic transfer of PC groups by a promiscuous DNA MTase as well as light-triggered removal from the target DNA. This strategy provides a new avenue to reversibly modulate the functionality of DNA at MTase target sites.
 


Enzyme-free ligation of 5'-phosphorylated oligodeoxynucleotides in a DNA nanostructure

Markus Kramer, Clemens Richert

Chem. Biodiversity 2017, DOI:10.1002/cbdv.201700315 (open access)

Chemical ligation of synthetic oligonucleotides in small origami nanostructures is higher yielding than in linear duplexes.

 

Block copolymer micellization as a protection strategy for DNA origami

Nayan P. Agarwal, Michael Matthies, Fatih F. N. Gür, Kensuke Osada, Thorsten L. Schmidt

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2017, DOI:10.1002/anie.201608873
 
DNA nanotechnology enables the synthesis of nanometer-sized objects that can be site-specifically functionalized with a large variety of materials. For these reasons, DNA-based devices such as DNA origami are being considered for applications in molecular biology and nanomedicine. However, many DNA structures need a higher ionic strength than that of common cell culture buffers or bodily fluids to maintain their integrity and can be degraded quickly by nucleases. To overcome these deficiencies, we coated several different DNA origami structures with a cationic poly(ethylene glycol)–polylysine block copolymer, which electrostatically covered the DNA nanostructures to form DNA origami polyplex micelles (DOPMs). This straightforward, cost-effective, and robust route to protect DNA-based structures could therefore enable applications in biology and nanomedicine where unprotected DNA origami would be degraded.

 

Sequenz-spezifischer Einbau von Enzym-Nukleotid-Chimären durch DNA-Polymerasen

Moritz Welter, Daniela Verga, Andreas Marx

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, DOI:10.1002/ange.201604641

Enzym-verknüpfte Nukleotide dienen trotz ihrer Größe als Substrat für hochselektive DNA-Polymerasen und können so zum Beispiel zur Detektion und Genotypisierung von DNA- und RNA-Templaten genutzt werden.