PEPTIDE NUCLEIC-ACIDS AND THEIR POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are novel DNA mimics in which the sugar-p hosphate backbone has been replaced with a backbone based on amino aci ds1-3. PNAs exhibit sequence-specific binding to DNA and RNA with high er affinities and specificities than unmodified DNA. They,are resistan t to nuclease and protease attack in serum and cellular extracts and, thus, appear very promising as diagnostic and biomolecular probes, and possibly as antisense and antigene drugs.