Biophysical and RNA Interference Inhibitory Properties of Oligonucleotides Carrying Tetrathiafulvalene Groups at Terminal Positions

Abstract EN

Oligonucleotide conjugates carrying a single functionalized tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) unit linked through a threoninol molecule to the 3′ or 5′ ends were synthesized together with their complementary oligonucleotides carrying a TTF, pyrene, or pentafluorophenyl group.

TTF-oligonucleotide conjugates formed duplexes with higher thermal stability than the corresponding unmodified oligonucleotides and pyrene- and pentafluorophenyl-modified oligonucleotides.

TTF-modified oligonucleotides are able to bind to citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and produce stable gold AuNPs functionalized with oligonucleotides.

Finally, TTF-oligoribonucleotides have been synthesized to produce siRNA duplexes carrying TTF units.

The presence of the TTF molecule is compatible with the RNA interference mechanism for gene inhibition.