Design, Synthesis and Characterization of “Janus-PNAs”: Novel Backbone Analogues That Form Double Duplexes With cDNA

Abstract

The thesis entitled ‘’Design, Synthesis and characterization of “Janus PNAs”: Novel PNA backbone analogues that form double duplexes with cDNA’’ is comprised of studies towards the design, synthesis, biophysical evaluation of a new motif of peptide nucleic acid (PNA) analogs, Janus PNA. The modifications consist of incorporation of chiral (azide/triazole) side chains at α-position in the glycine segment of aminoethylglycine PNA backbone. These side chains carry a second nuclobase at each monomer leading to backbone Janus PNAs. The PNA oligomers synthesized on solid phase were investigated for their binding to target DNA by various biophysical techniques. The work also describes the i-Motif, G-quadruplex formation and stability of Janus PNAs and its hybridization studies with complementary DNA oligomers. The thesis is presented as five chapters.