title: Internalization of Locked Nucleic Acids/DNA Hybrid Oligomers into Escherichia coli.
abstract: Delivery inside the cells is essential for practical application of antisense technologies. The hybrid locked nucleic acid (LNA)/DNA CAAGTACTGTTCCACCA (LNA residues are underlined) was labeled by conjugation to Alexa Fluor 488 (fLNA/DNA) and tested to determine its ability to penetrate Escherichia coli cells and reach the cytoplasm. Flow cytometry analysis showed that the fLNA/DNA was associated with 14% of cells from a stationary phase culture, while association with a labeled isosequential oligodeoxynucleotide was negligible. Laser scanning confocal microscopy confirmed that the fLNA/DNA was located inside the cytoplasm.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Medical Parasitology, National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), University of Buenos Aires , Buenos Aires, Argentina .
authors.forename: German M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Traglia
authors.forename: Carol Davies
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: Juan I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Fuxman Bass
authors.forename: Alfonso J C
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Soler-Bistué
authors.forename: Angeles
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zorreguieta
authors.forename: María Soledad
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ramírez
authors.forename: Marcelo E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Tolmasky
keywords: drug discovery; drug resistance; gene therapy; microbiology; nucleic acids