Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNA)

[Mick Jones]

Hi netters

I was wondering about the commercial availability of reagents for the chemical 
synthesis of PNAs (peptide or protein nucleic acids).  These analogues 
(apparently) bind more tightly to DNA strands than a complemantary 
oligonucleotide.  

PNAs are nucleic acid analogues in which the phospho-sugar backbone is replaced by 
a peptide linkage maintaining the correct stereo-chemical base spacing as in 
natural DNA.

We are consideing synthesizing our own PNA sequences and would be very grateful if 
anybody could provide advice, where to buy the reagents and their cost, and how 
difficult it is to do, etc.  Anything really.

Thanks in advance.

Mick Jones


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Mick Jones                      Tel: 081-740-3328 (+44-81-740-3328)
Department of Virology          FAX: 081-743-8331 (+44-81-743-8331)
RPMS,  Du Cane Road              Email: mjones at rpms.ac.uk 
London,  W12 0NN,  UK          URL: http://www.rpms.ac.uk/virology/virolhome.html
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"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast."   Ace Rimmer (Red Dwarf)
"Crackin' toast, Gromit."    Wallace (The Wrong Trousers)
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