日本東京大學(xué)和科學(xué)技術(shù)振興機構(gòu)2月23日宣布,，兩家機構(gòu)的研究人員借助納米技術(shù)合成了只有1對堿基對的世界最短的雙鏈RNA片段和只有3對堿基對組成的雙鏈DNA片段,。
兩家機構(gòu)23日聯(lián)合發(fā)布新聞公報說,，在堿基對形成DNA和RNA的過程中,，如果堿基對少于4對的時候,，它們就無法抵御周圍水分子的影響,，不能形成穩(wěn)定的結(jié)構(gòu),。但是,，水分子難以突破生命體中的酶所具有的納米尺寸的構(gòu)造,，因此在酶的幫助下，堿基對就如同躲在“安全的口袋”里,，3對或者更少的堿基對也能形成雙鏈DNA等,，進行遺傳信息的復(fù)制和表達。
研究人員受此啟發(fā),，用有機化合物合成了一種納米尺寸的“籠狀構(gòu)造物”,，這種構(gòu)造物創(chuàng)造出一個高0.6納米、底面直徑約2納米的籠狀空間,。通過向該構(gòu)造物中添加1－3對堿基對,，研究人員成功合成了穩(wěn)定的只有1對堿基對的雙鏈RNA片段和只有3對堿基對組成的雙鏈DNA片段,。
新聞公報說，以這次研究成果為基礎(chǔ),，今后有望從生命體內(nèi)存在的各種長度和種類的DNA和RNA化合物中,，按特定目的切取擁有相應(yīng)性質(zhì)和功能的部位，利用納米空間,，進行簡便且低成本的基因診斷,、化學(xué)分析和高效反應(yīng)等。
此項成果于22日發(fā)表在英國《自然—化學(xué)》（Nature Chemistry）雜志創(chuàng)刊號的網(wǎng)絡(luò)版上,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Nature Chemistry Published online: 22 February 2009 | doi:10.1038/nchem.100
Minimal nucleotide duplex formation in water through enclathration in self-assembled hosts
Tomohisa Sawada1, Michito Yoshizawa1,3, Sota Sato1 & Makoto Fujita1,2
Short nucleotide fragments such as mono- and dinucleotides are generally unable to form stable hydrogen-bonded base pairs or duplexes in water. Within the hydrophobic pockets of enzymes, however, even short fragments form stable duplexes to transmit genetic information. Here, we demonstrate the efficient formation of hydrogen-bonded base pairs from mononucleotides in water through enclathration in the hydrophobic cavities of self-assembled cages. Crystallographic studies and 1H- and 15N-NMR spectroscopy clearly reveals pair-selective recognition of mononucleotides and the selective formation of an anti-Hoogsteen-type base pair in the cage's cavity. Within an analogous expanded cage, dinucleotides are also found to form a stable duplex in water. These results emphasize how hydrogen-bonded base pairing is amplified in a local hydrophobic area isolated from aqueous solution.
1 Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Japan
2 Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
4 Present address: Chemical Research Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259, Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan
