SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF DNA-PNA CHIMERIC OLIGOMERS

Adenine, thymine and cytosine RNA monomers have been prepared using 3- amino-1,2-propanediol as a starting material, The benzoyl group was us ed to protect the exocyclic amines of the heterocyclic bases of A and C PNA monomers and the backbone primary amine was protected with the m onomethoxytrityl group, The thymine and cytosine PNA monomers were use d in conjunction with standard DNA synthesis monomers to produce chime ric PNA DNA (PDC) oligomers. Ultraviolet melting studies confirmed tha t these oligomers form stable hybrids with complementary DNA strands a nd that mismatches in the DNA but more so in the RNA sections lead to duplex destabilisation.