A novel class of compounds, known as peptide nucleic acids, bind complementary DNA and RNA strands more strongly than a corresponding DNA strand, and exhibit increased sequence specificity and solubility. The peptide nucleic acids comprise ligands selected from a group consisting of naturally-occurring nucleobases and non-naturally-occurring nucleobases attached to a polyamide backbone, and contain C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkylamine side chains. Methods of enhancing the solubility, binding affinity and sequence specificity of PNAs are provided.
一种新型化合物,被称为肽核酸,比相应的DNA链和RNA链结合更牢固,并表现出增强的序列特异性和溶解性。肽核酸包括从天然存在的核碱基和连接到聚酰胺骨架的非天然存在的核碱基中选择的
配体,并含有C.sub.1 -C.sub.8烷基胺侧链。提供了增强
PNAs溶解性、结合亲和力和序列特异性的方法。