title: LNA: a versatile tool for therapeutics and genomics.
abstract: Locked nucleic acid (LNA) is a nucleic acid analogue that displays unprecedented hybridization affinity towards complementary DNA and RNA. Structural studies have shown LNA to be an RNA mimic, fitting seamlessly into an A-type duplex geometry. Several reports have revealed LNA as a most promising molecule for the development of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics. For example, Tat-dependent transcription and telomerase activity have been efficiently suppressed by LNA oligomers, and efficient cleavage of highly structured RNA has been achieved using LNA-modified DNAzymes ('LNAzyme'). Furthermore, convincing examples of the application of LNA to nucleic acid diagnostics have been reported, including high capturing efficiencies and unambiguous scoring of single-nucleotide polymorphisms.
authors.affiliation: Nucleic Acid Center, Dept of Chemistry, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Jesper
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wengel
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; C477371:locked nucleic acid; D004247:DNA