Carboxyl-modified single-walled carbon nanotubes selectively induce human telomeric i-motif formation.

Abstract

As the leading nanodevice candidate, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have potential therapeutic applications in gene therapy and novel drug delivery. We found that SWNTs can inhibit DNA duplex association and selectively induce human telomeric i-motif DNA formation by binding to the 5'-end major groove under physiological conditions or even at pH 8.0. SWNT binding to telomeric DNA was studied by UV melting, NMR, S1 nuclease cleavage, CD, and competitive FRET methods. These results suggest that SWNTs might have the intriguing potential to modulate human telomeric DNA structures in vivo, like biologically relevant B-A and B-Z DNA transitions, which is of great interest for drug design and cancer therapy.

• Authors: Xi Li, Yinghua Peng, Jinsong Ren, Xiaogang Qu
• Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A) Vol. 103 Issue 52 Pg. 19658-63 (Dec 26 2006) ISSN: 0027-8424 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17167055 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Nanotubes, Carbon
• DNA

Topics

• DNA (chemistry)
• Humans
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
• Molecular Structure
• Nanotubes, Carbon (chemistry)
• Spectrum Analysis
• Telomere (chemistry)
• Transition Temperature