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Dysregulation of RNA splicing causes many diseases and disorders. Several therapeutic approaches have been developed to correct aberrant alternative splicing events for the treatment of cancers and hereditary diseases, including gene therapy and redirecting splicing, using small molecules or splice switching oligonucleotides (SSO). Significant advances in the chemistry and pharmacology of nucleic acid have led to the development of clinically approved SSO drugs for the treatment of spinal muscular dystrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of SSO action with emphasis on "less common" approaches to modulate alternative splicing, including bipartite and bifunctional SSO, oligonucleotide decoys for splice factors and SSO-mediated mRNA degradation via AS-NMD and NGD pathways. We briefly discuss the current progress and future perspectives of SSO therapy for rare and ultrarare diseases.

A series of 2'-deoxy and novel 2'- O -methyl and 2'- O -(2-methoxyethyl) (2'-MOE) oligonucleotides with internucleotide methanesulfonyl (mesyl, μ) or 1-butanesulfonyl (busyl, β) phosphoramidate groups has been synthesized for evaluation as potential splice-switching oligonucleotides. Evaluation of their splice-switching activity in spinal muscular atrophy patient-derived fibroblasts revealed no significant difference in splice-switching efficacy between 2'-MOE mesyl oligonucleotide and the corresponding phosphorothioate (nusinersen). Yet, a survival study with model neonatal mice has shown the antisense 2'-MOE mesyl oligonucleotide to be inferior to nusinersen at the highest dose of 40 mg/kg. A reason for their lower activity in vivo as ascertained by cellular uptake study by fluorescent confocal microscopy in HEK293 cell line could possibly be ascribed to compromised endosomal release and/or nuclear uptake of the 2'-OMe or 2'-MOE μ- and β-oligonucleotides compared to their phosphorothioate analog.

We developed a new technique suitable for improved detection of low-copy dsRNA using modified oligonucleotides as primers in RT-qPCR. Insertion of G 8AE -clamp residues into primers significantly improves thermal stability of duplexes with RNA without decrease of hybridization selectivity. The applicability of modified primers is demonstrated for detection of low-copy Kemerovo virus dsRNA.

We developed a novel technique for the efficient conjugation of oligonucleotides with various alkyl azides such as fluorescent dyes, biotin, cholesterol, N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc), etc. using copper-catalysed alkyne-azide cycloaddition on the solid phase and CuI·P(OEt) 3 as a catalyst. Conjugation is carried out in an oligonucleotide synthesizer in fully automated mode and is coupled to oligonucleotide synthesis and on-column deprotection. We also suggest a set of reagents for the construction of diverse conjugates. The sequential double-click procedure using a pentaerythritol-derived tetraazide followed by the addition of a GalNAc or Tris-GalNAc alkyne gives oligonucleotide-GalNAc dendrimer conjugates in good yields with minimal excess of sophisticated alkyne reagents. The approach is suitable for high-throughput synthesis of oligonucleotide conjugates ranging from fluorescent DNA probes to various multi-GalNAc derivatives of 2'-modified siRNA.

Nowadays modified oligonucleotides are widely used in diagnostics and as novel therapeutics. Introduction of modified or unnatural residues into oligonucleotides allows fine tuning of their binding properties to complementary nucleic acids and leads to improved stability both in vitro and in vivo. Previously it was demonstrated that insertion of phenoxazine nucleotides with various groups in C9-position into oligonucleotides leads to a significant increase of duplex stability with complementary DNA and RNA. Here the synthesis of a novel G-clamp nucleoside analogue (G 8AE -clamp) bearing 2-aminoethyl tether at C8-atom is presented. Introduction of such modified residues into oligonucleotides lead to enhanced specificity of duplex formation towards complementary DNA and RNA targets with increased thermal and 3'-exonuclease stability. According to CD-spectroscopy studies G 8AE -clamp does not substantially disrupt helix geometry. Primers containing G 8AE -clamp demonstrated superior sensitivity in qPCR detection of dsRNA of Kemerovo virus in comparison to native oligonucleotides., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Integration of the DNA copy of the genomic RNA into an infected cell genome is one of the key steps of the replication cycle of all retroviruses. It is catalyzed by the viral enzyme, integrase. We have shown that conjugates of short single-stranded oligonucleotides with eosin efficiently inhibit the catalytic activity of the HIV-1 integrase. In this article, we have found that the dependence of the integrase catalytic activity on the concentration of oligonucleotides has a bell-shaped pattern. The modulation of HIV-1 integrase activity correlated with the oligonucleotide length and was not associated with specific sequences. Moreover, a similar mode of the oligonucleotide action was found for integrase from the prototype foamy virus. This dual effect of the oligonucleotide and their conjugates with eosin might be explained by their binding with retroviral integrase in two different sites; the oligodeoxynucleotide binding in the first site results in integrase activation, whereas interactions with another one lead to inhibition of the enzyme activity. Eosin coupling to oligonucleotides did not change the mode of their action but enhanced their affinity to both binding sites. The affinity increase was found to be much more important for the site responsible for the integrase inhibition, thus explaining the high inhibitory potency of oligonucleotide-eosin conjugates.

Oligodeoxyribonucleotides that contain a hydrazino nucleoside, 2'-O-(2-hydrazinoethyl)uridine were prepared and shown to react with aldehydes or 1,3-diketones with the formation of hydrazones or pyrazoles, respectively. The method may be applicable for the preparation of oligonucleotide-peptide conjugates.

2'-O-[2-(2,3-Diacetoxypropyl)amino-2-oxoethyl]uridine 3'-phosphoramidite was prepared and used in solid-phase synthesis to obtain oligonucleotides containing a 1,2-diol group, which may then be converted into a 2'-aldehyde group. The oligonucleotides were conjugated efficiently to various molecules by chemoselective ligation that involves an addition-elimination reaction between the 2'-aldehyde group and a suitable nucleophile, such as a hydrazine, a O-alkylhydroxylamine or an 1,2-aminothiol. The method was applied successfully to the conjugation of peptides to oligonucleotides at the 2'-position.

Syntheses of specified 2'-modified nucleosides were achieved: a) via oximation of the 5',3'-blocked 2'-oxocytidine, followed by reduction, or b) by intramolecular nucleophilic addition of 3'-(2-methoxyethoxy)carbamate to the 2'-position with opening of O(2),2'-anhydrouridine. For the first time, 3'-phosphoroamidites of these 2'-modified nucleosides were successfully incorporated into oligonucleotides by solid-phase synthesis. Incorporation of 2'-modified nucleotides into oligodeoxyribonucleotides had a negative effect on the duplex T(m) values with the DNA or RNA complements. Nevertheless, modified nucleotides have shown good target recognition; the (S)-isomer binds preferably to RNA and the (R)-isomer to DNA. Both modified nucleosides significantly increased nuclease resistance of the oligodeoxyribonucleotides.

Nowadays, oligonucleotide-carbohydrate conjugates are used in antisense biotechnology and in the study of glycosylated DNA functioning in vitro. The application of mono- and disaccharide phosphoramidites, solid-phase supports with immobilized carbohydrates, glycosylated nucleoside phosphoramidites, and postsynthetic conjugation of reactive sugar derivatives with oligonucleotides for preparation of oligonucleotide-carbohydrate conjugates have been systematically studied. The advantages and disadvantages of these approaches are considered. Possible strategies for synthesis of glycoclusters with different topologies conjugated to DNA are discussed. Applications of oligonucleotide-carbohydrate conjugates are highlighted. Studies of interactions of glycosylated oligonucleotides with proteins and effective cell-specific delivery of oligonucleotide-carbohydrate conjugates are discussed.

Modified oligonucleotides bearing 2'-reactive groups or 2'-conjugated molecules have found wide application as structural tools in molecular biology. Of principal interest has been the use of 2'-reactive oligonucleotides for cross-linking with biomolecules and of 2'-conjugated oligonucleotides in hybridization assays. In this review we compare a range of electrophilic, nucleophilic and photoreactive groups for cross-linking and conjugation studies.

Dye labeled oligonucleotides have been applied to detection of DNA with high sensitivity using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Duplex formation of dye labelled oligonucleotides with DNA targets, followed by selective conjugation with silver nanoparticles, made it possible to determine the optimal distance between the SERS label and the silver surface, which was necessary for strong signal enhancement. For all Rh6G labeled oligonucleotides the limits of detection were 3 fmol dm–3, while for Cy3 labeled oligonucleotides the signal enhancement depended on the distance between Cy3 dye and silver nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nicking endonucleases (NEases) selectively cleave single DNA strands in double-stranded DNAs at a specific site. They are widely used in bioanalytical applications and in genome editing; however, the peculiarities of DNA–protein interactions for most of them are still poorly studied. Previously, it has been shown that the large subunit of heterodimeric restriction endonuclease BspD6I (Nt.BstD6I) acts as a NEase. Here we present a study of interaction of restriction endonuclease BspD6I with modified DNA containing single non-nucleotide insertion with an azobenzene moiety in the enzyme cleavage sites or in positions of sugar-phosphate backbone nearby. According to these data, we designed a number of effective stimulus-responsive oligonucleotide inhibitors bearing azobenzene or triethylene glycol residues. These modified oligonucleotides modulated the functional activity of Nt.BspD6I after cooling or heating. We were able to block the cleavage of T7 phage DNA by this enzyme in the presence of such inhibitors at 20–25°C, whereas the Nt.BspD6I ability to hydrolyze DNA was completely restored after heating to 45°C. The observed effects can serve as a basis for the development of a platform for regulation of NEase activity in vitro or in vivo by external signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alkyl azide derivative of 1-phenylethynylpyrene (PEPy) dye was prepared and used in the functionalization of oligonucleotides via click chemistry. Spectral and photo-physical properties of the PEPy-modified oligonucleotides as a single strand, and in perfect or mismatched duplexes, have been studied. A series of PEPy–Dabcyl fluorogenic TaqMan probes were synthesized and tested in qPCR. PEPy proved to be a superior substitute for AMCA as a short wavelength fluorescent dye for qPCR probes. PEPy probes were shown to significantly reduce Cq (a fractional PCR cycle used for quantification) vs. AMCA labeled probes, thus improving on the reliability of detection. Moreover, a larger increase of fluorescence during amplification was observed in the case of PEPy probes that makes this dye very suitable for an end-point PCR technique. This study broadens the panel of fluorescent dyes suitable for the use in probes for quantitative real-time PCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Oligodeoxyribonucleotides that contain a novel nucleoside, 2′-O-(2-hydrazinoethyl)uridine, were synthesised by NaBH3CN reduction of hydrazones formed from 2′-O-(2-oxoethyl)oligonucleotides with FmocNHNH2, followed by concd aq NH3 deprotection. The 2′-hydrazine oligonucleotides obtained were then used to synthesise a number of conjugates with aldehydes via hydrazone formation and with1,3-diketones via pyrazole formation. The method was shown to be applicable for the preparation of oligonucleotide–peptide conjugates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Oligodeoxyribonucleotides were synthesized that contain a novel nucleoside, 2′-O-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)cytidine. Its 2′-diol group was blocked by an allyloxycarbonyl protecting group. Selective deprotection of diol group(s) of the support-immobilized blocked oligodeoxyribonucleotide by Pd(0) followed by periodate oxidation resulted in generation of the 2′-aldehyde group(s) on solid-phase. The modified oligonucleotides were used to prepare a number of conjugates with acridine, biotin and N-modified laminin peptides by oxime, hydrazone and hydrazine formation. The method may be applicable to the synthesis of oligonucleotide–peptide conjugates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Telomeres are the nucleoprotein complexes that cap the linear chromosome ends. Telomerase is a ribonucleoprotein that maintains telomere length in stem, embryonic and cancer cells. Somatic cells don't contain active telomerase and telomere function as mitotic clock and telomere length determines the number of cell divisions. Telomerase RNA (TER) contains the template for telomere synthesis and serves as a structural scaffold for holoenzyme assembly. We compared different oligonucleotide based methods for telomerase RNA inhibition, such as antisense oligonucleotides, knockdown by transient siRNA transfection and silencing by miRNA derived from short expressed RNA hairpin in HEK293 cells. All of these methods were applied to different TER regions. Our results revealed that CR2/CR3 domain of TER is accessible in vitro and in vivo and could serve as an optimal site for oligonucleotide-based telomerase silencing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We propose catalytically synthesized nanozymes based on Prussian Blue (PB) and azidomethyl-substituted poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (azidomethyl-PEDOT) as novel electrocatalytic labels for DNA/RNA sensors. Catalytic approach allowed to synthesize highly redox and electrocatalytically active Prussian Blue nanoparticles functionalized with azide groups that enable 'click' conjugation with alkyne-modified oligonucleotides. Both competitive and sandwich-type schemes were realized. As the sensor response the direct (mediator-free) electrocatalytic current of H 2 O 2 reduction can be measured, which is proportional to the concentration of the hybridized labeled sequences. The current of H 2 O 2 electrocatalytic reduction is only 3–8 times increased in the presence of the freely diffusing mediator catechol, which indicates high efficiency of direct electrocatalysis with the elaborated labels. Electrocatalytic amplification of the signal allows robust detection of (63–70)-base target sequences with concentrations below 0.2 nM in blood serum within an hour. We believe, the use of advanced Prussian Blue based electrocatalytic labels sets new avenues for point-of-care DNA/RNA sensing. [Display omitted] • Catalytically synthesized functionalized nanozymes possess high catalytic activity. • Nanozyme functionalization with azide groups enables 'click' conjugation. • Efficient direct electrocatalysis with the labels provides mediator-free operation. • Electrocatalytic signal amplification allows detecting down to 0.01 nM of DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1-Phenylethynylpyrene fluorophore (1-PEPy) has long-wavelength shifted emission and higher photostability compared to pyrene, retaining, however, pyrene's ability to form excimers. Here we report the synthesis of 2′- O -[3(and 4)-(pyren-1-ylethynyl)benzyl]-uridines and their tandem incorporation into deoxyribo - and 2′- O -Me- ribo -oligonucleotide probes. Excimer forming probes of type NN … NN XX NN … NN ( X = 2′- O -[ meta (or para )-(pyren-1-ylethynyl)-benzyl]uridine) containing two adjacent fluorescent nucleosides within an oligonucleotide are available in four types ( meta - meta ; para - meta ; meta - para ; para - para ). Both DNA (N = deoxyribonucleotides) and 2′- O -Me-RNA (N = 2′- O -Me-ribo-nucleotides) probes were synthesized and their hybridization with complementary and singly mismatched DNA and RNA was studied. Several probes show a dramatic response of their excimer-to-monomer intensity ratio upon hybridization. Remarkably, most spectacular fluorescence changes were demonstrated for probes with para - meta and meta - para combination within 2′- O -Me-ribo-oligonucleotides. Using excimer forming probes, three natural SNP in Helicobacter pylori 23S RNA gene (A2144G, A2143G, A2143C) and the wild type gene can be distinguished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Branching points in DNA nanostructures are usually 3- or 4-way junctions maintained by Watson-Crick non-covalent interactions. However, covalently bound DNA stars could improve the diversity, strength and integrity of DNA nanoscale constructions. We report here the convenient synthesis of 3- and 4-fold pentaerythritol-based azides and their use for the assembly of branched conjugates containing the same or different oligonucleotides (ODNs) and/or fluorescent dyes by stoichiometry controlled copper (I) catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) functionalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]