PNA - SYNTHESIS AND DIAGNOSTIC APPLICATION

An optimized automated PNA synthesis protocol is reported. Under optim al conditions the product yield of a test 17-mer PNA is approximately 90 %. The average coupling yield is 99.4 %. The synthesis strategy is Boc/Z. The protocol is developed in a 5 mu mole scale but is easily sc aled up to 10 - 50 mu mole scale syntheses on the automated synthesize r (ABI 433A). DNA capture experiments by PNA was used to develop a met hod for PNA-mediated purification of genomic Chlamydia DNA from urine. This purification removed efficiently substances that impeded DNA amp lification.