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What is SYDOTS?
A new technique under development in Viagene Biotech provides novel procedures and apparatus for determining the stability of
DNA, RNA and oligonucleotides.
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What can this
technique
be used for?
Determining the stability of
nucleic acids is a useful technique in the analysis of gene expression
at the transcriptional level. S1 mapping and ribonuclease protection assays
(RPA), based on the principle of the resistance of DNA/RNA or RNA/RNA
duplexes to Nuclease S1 or ribonucleases (RNase), are used to quantify
specific RNAs via duplex formation of RNAs and radioisotope-labeled
probes, and the degradation of unhybridized probes and RNAs with
nucleases or RNase at the end of the reaction. The surviving DNA-RNA or
RNA-RNA duplexes are then separated by gel-electrophoresis and
visualized by autoradiography. These detection techniques can also be used to map the positions of introns and to identify the locations of 5'
and 3' ends of mRNAs on cloned DNA templates.
Determining the stability of
small nucleic acids or modified nucleic acids is important in the field
of drug discovery, because the therapeutic application of small DNA/RNA
molecules will be largely dependent on improvements in their
biostability and efficacy. It has been reported that stabilized
synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) and oligooxynucleotides have the
potential to be used as therapeutic agents. Several antisense ODNs have
been FDA-approved or are currently undergoing preclinical and clinical
investigation. Decoy ODNs, which are double-stranded ODNs (dsODNs)
containing the critical transcription factor-recognizing sequences found
in cis-elements of selected genes, have the capacity to induce
artificial modulation of gene expression at the transcriptional level.
RNA decoys also have been shown to be capable of binding to
transcription factors via aptameric interactions. Furthermore,
gene-specific short interfering (si)RNAs have been shown to inhibit gene
transcription. When pursuing structural and chemical modifications of
ODNs or siRNA, the ideal modification should make these small molecules
resistant to degradation by nucleases and RNases, and preserve the
specific molecular interactions of these molecules with the target
DNA/RNA or transcription factors.
* This design and technology are patent pending.
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Viagene Biotech Inc., 3802 Spectrum
Blvd., Ste 126, Tampa, Florida 33612,
U.S.A.
Phone 813-902-3827 ◊ Fax 813-830-7389
Copyright©2005 info@viagene.com |
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