Open Access2′-Deoxy-2′-fluoro-arabinonucleic acid: a valid alternative to DNA for biotechnological applications using charge transport
Author(s) -
Ruijie D. Teo,
Elizabeth R. Smithwick,
Agostino Migliore
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
physical chemistry chemical physics/pccp. physical chemistry chemical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.053
H-Index - 239
eISSN - 1463-9084
pISSN - 1463-9076
DOI - 10.1039/c9cp04805g
Subject(s) - charge (physics) , dna , nanotechnology , chemistry , computational biology , chemical physics , biochemical engineering , materials science , physics , biology , biochemistry , engineering , quantum mechanics
The non-biological 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-arabinonucleic acid (2'F-ANA) may be used as a valid alternative to DNA in biomedical and electronic applications because of its higher resistance to hydrolysis and nuclease degradation. However, the advantage of using 2'F-ANA in such applications also depends on its charge-transfer properties compared to DNA. In this study, we compare the charge conduction properties of model 2'F-ANA and DNA double-strands, using structural snapshots from MD simulations to calculate the electronic couplings and reorganization energies associated with the hole transfer steps between adjacent nucleobase pairs. Inserting these charge-transfer parameters into a kinetic model for charge conduction, we find similar conductive properties for DNA and 2'F-ANA. Moreover, we find that 2'F-ANA's enhanced chemical stability does not correspond to a reduction in the nucleobase π-stack structural flexibility relevant to both electronic couplings and reorganization free energies. Our results promote the use of 2'F-ANA in applications that can be based on charge transport, such as biosensing and chip technology, where its chemical stability and conductivity can advantageously combine.