Synthesis and hybridization properties of 2'-O-methylated oligoribonucleotides incorporating 2'-O-naphthyluridines

Org Biomol Chem. 2011 Jan 7;9(1):210-8. doi: 10.1039/c0ob00248h. Epub 2010 Oct 29.

Abstract

2'-O-(1-Naphthyl)uridine and 2'-O-(2-naphthyl)uridine were synthesized by a microwave-mediated reaction of 2,2'-anhydrouridine with naphthols. Using the 3'-phosphoramidite building blocks, these 2'-O-aryluridine derivatives were incorporated into 2'-O-methylated oligoribonucleotides. Incorporation of five 2'-O-(2-naphthyl)uridines into a 2'-O-methylated RNA sense strand significantly increased the thermostability of the duplex with a 2'-O-methylated RNA antisense strand. Circular dichroism spectroscopy and molecular dynamic simulation of the duplexes formed between the modified RNAs and 2'-O-methyl RNAs suggested that there are π-π interactions between two neighboring naphthyl groups in a sequence of the five consecutively modified nucleosides.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Methylation
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Oligoribonucleotides / chemical synthesis*
  • RNA / chemistry
  • Uridine / chemistry*

Substances

  • Oligoribonucleotides
  • RNA
  • Uridine