Development of Nucleic Acid Platform for Targeting DNA

Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Abstract

This award in the Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP) program supports work by Professor Danith H. Ly at Carnegie Mellon University to carry out fundamental studies on DNA recognition. The work is focused on the design and development of a particular class of synthetic reagents, called gamma-peptide nucleic acid acids, for recognition of double helical B-DNA through direct Watson-Crick base-pairings. Molecules that can be designed to bind sequence-specifically to double-stranded B-DNA are of considerable interest in biology, biotechnology and medicine. Such molecules could be developed into a number of applications, from molecular tools for probing sequence information and regulation of gene expression in our attempts to understand the molecular basis of life, to therapeutic and diagnostic reagents for the treatment and detection genetic diseases. In addition to their applications in biology, biotechnology and medicine, such molecules could be used in a number of other disciplines including drug discovery and molecular self-assembly, owing to their tight and specific binding properties along with the ease and flexibility of synthesis. The work will have a direct impact on how nucleic acid sequence information is detected, how gene expression is regulated, and how molecules are organized and assembled. This dual-research program, combining research with hands-on training, will provide students and research associates with a unique skill set essential for their future career in graduate schools as well as in industry, by providing strong scientific training and by exposing them to cutting-edge research early in their educational career.