title: Effect of Steric Constraint at the γ-Backbone Position on the Conformations and Hybridization Properties of PNAs.
abstract: Conformationally preorganized peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) have been synthesized through backbone modifications at the γ-position, where R = alanine, valine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine side chains. The effects of these side-chains on the conformations and hybridization properties of PNAs were determined using a combination of CD and UV-Vis spectroscopic techniques. Our results show that the γ-position can accommodate varying degrees of sterically hindered side-chains, reaffirming the bimodal function of PNAs as the true hybrids of "peptides" and "nucleic acids."
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology (CNAST), Mellon Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Srinivas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rapireddy
authors.forename: Raman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bahal
authors.forename: Iulia
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sacui
authors.forename: Danith H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Ly