Oligonucleotides selectivity

SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) is used to generate aptamers, oligonucleotides selected to tightly bind a specific molecular target. The process is generally automated to allow rapid identification of one or more aptamers with the desired binding specificity. 

Methoxy)ethyl-modified anti-inter-cellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) oligonucleotides selectively increase the ICAM-1 mRNA level and inhibit formation of the ICAM-1 translation initiation complex in human umbilical vein endothelial cells./. Biol. Chem. 272 11994-12000. 

AOBase (http //bio-inf.net/aobase) is an online facility for antisense oligonucleotide selection and design, and siRNAdb (http //sima.cgb.ki.se/) offers a search engine for... 

By similar logic, protein affinity Hbraries have been constmcted to identify protein—protein combining sites, as in antibody—antigen interaction (19) and recombinant Hbraries have been made which produce a repertoire of antibodies in E. coli (20). In another case, a potential DNA-based therapeutic strategy has been studied (21). DNAs from a partially randomized Hbrary were selected to bind thrombin in vitro. Oligonucleotides, termed aptamers that bound thrombin shared a conserved sequence 14—17 nucleotides long. 

Combinatorial Hbraries are limited by the number of sequences that can be synthesized. For example, a Hbrary consisting of one molecule each of a 60-nucleotide sequence randomized at each position, would have a mass of >10 g, weU beyond the capacity for synthesis and manipulation. Thus, even if nucleotide addition is random at all the steps during synthesis of the oligonucleotide only a minority of the sequences can be present in the output from a laboratory-scale chemical DNA synthesis reaction. In analyzing these random but incomplete Hbraries, the protocol is efficient enough to allow selection of aptamers of lowest dissociation constants (K ) from the mixture after a small number of repetitive selection and amplification cycles. Once a smaller population of oligonucleotides is amplified, the aptamer sequences can be used as the basis for constmcting a less complex Hbrary for further selection. 

Fig. 9. Mutagenesis by a synthetic oligonucleotide of a cloned sequence available in single-stranded form (a) single-stranded M13 template containing uracil (U) residues (b) double-stranded product, uracil residues are not mutagenic (c) strong selection for M13 phages containing mutation of interest (23).

The trimethoxy derivative is too labile for most applications, but the mono and diderivatives have been used extensively in the preparation of oligonucleotides and oligonucleosides. The monomethoxy derivative has been used for the selective protection of a primary allylic alcohol over a secondary allylic alcohol (MMTr, Pyr, -10°). ... 

Natural selection works through the complementary processes of mutation and genetic reassortment by recombination. The oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis methods used in the foregoing examples do not allow for recombination instead, mutations are combined manually to optimize a protein sequence. Willem Stemmer at Maxygen invented a method of directed evolution that uses both mutation and recombination. This method, called... 

Antisense therapy means the selective, sequence-specific inhibition of gene expression by single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides. By hybridizing to the target mRNA, which results in a subsequent double-helix formation, gene expression is blocked. This process can occur at any point between the conclusion of transcription and initiation of translation or even possibly during translation. 

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