Detection of peptide nucleic acids in tissue extracts of treated animals by gel mobility shift assay

We have developed a sensitive and reproducible gel mobility shift assay to detect PNA oligomers in tissue of treated animals. PNA present in purified tissue extracts of treated animals is hybridized to a P-33-labelled DNA oli gomer probe, and analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The PNA-DN A hybrid migrates more slowly than the DNA probe alone and can be quantifie d relative to a standard curve. This detection method is useful for detecti ng PNAs in many different tissues, including brain, heart, kidney, liver, s pleen, and serum, as well as cells in culture. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.