Chemical etiology of nucleic acid structure: the alpha-threofuranosyl-(3'-->2') oligonucleotide system

Science. 2000 Nov 17;290(5495):1347-51. doi: 10.1126/science.290.5495.1347.

Abstract

TNAs [(L)-alpha-threofuranosyl oligonucleotides] containing vicinally connected (3'-->2') phosphodiester bridges undergo informational base pairing in antiparallel strand orientation and are capable of cross-pairing with RNA and DNA. Being derived from a sugar containing only four carbons, TNA is structurally the simplest of all potentially natural oligonucleotide-type nucleic acid alternatives studied thus far. This, along with the base-pairing properties of TNA, warrants close scrutiny of the system in the context of the problem of RNA's origin.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Base Pairing*
  • Carbohydrate Conformation
  • DNA / chemistry
  • Evolution, Chemical
  • Hydrolysis
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes
  • Nucleic Acids / chemical synthesis
  • Nucleic Acids / chemistry*
  • Oligonucleotides / chemical synthesis
  • Oligonucleotides / chemistry*
  • RNA / chemistry*
  • Tetroses / chemistry*

Substances

  • Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes
  • Nucleic Acids
  • Oligonucleotides
  • Tetroses
  • RNA
  • DNA
  • erythrose