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Phospholipid membrane permeability of peptide nucleic acid
Author(s) -
Wittung Pernilla,
Kajanus Johan,
Edwards Katarina,
Nielsen Peter,
Nordén Bengt,
Malmström Bo G.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/0014-5793(95)00409-3
Subject(s) - phospholipid , nucleic acid , peptide , chemistry , peptide nucleic acid , membrane , permeability (electromagnetism) , biochemistry , membrane permeability , biophysics , biology
Phospholipid vesicles (liposomes) as membrane models have been used to study the penetration properties of peptide nucleic acid (PNA), a new DNA analog in which the nucleobases are attached to a pseudo‐peptide backbone. The liposomes were characterised by carboxyfluorescein efflux, light‐scattering and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The liposome structure was found not to be affected by the incorporation of PNA or an oligonucleotide. Two 10‐mer fluorescein‐labelled PNAs were found to have low efflux rates (half‐times of 5.5 and 11 days), comparable to a 10‐mer oligonucleotide (half‐time of 7 days). We conclude that passive diffusion of unmodified PNA is not an effective way of transport into biological cells.