Nucleic acid mediated electron transfer

• US 5,770,369 A
• Filed: 06/07/1996
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Kayyem, Jon Faiz, Meade, Thomas J., Fraser, Scott E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, W. Gary
• Assistant Examiner(s): REES, DIANE
• Application Number:
  US08/660,534
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 435/6, 435/5, 435/91.2, 435/91.1, 435/287.2, 536/24.3, 536/25.3, 536/26.6, 536/23.1
• US Class Current: 435/6.11
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C07H 21/00 Compounds containing two or more mononucleotide units having separate phosphate or polyphosphate groups linked by saccharide radicals of nucleoside groups, e.g. nucleic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C07H 23/00 Compounds containing boron, silicon, or a metal, e.g. chelates, vitamin B12 esters with inorganic acids C07H11/00; metal salts, see parent compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6818 involving interaction of two or more labels, e.g. resonant energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6825 Nucleic acid detection involving sensors
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2563/113 the label being electroactive, e.g. redox labels
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2563/137 Metal/ion, e.g. metal label
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/101 Interaction between at least two labels
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/1015 labels being on the same oligonucleotide
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/401 Signal amplification by chemical polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/607 being a sensor, e.g. electrode

Abstract

The present invention provides for the selective covalent modification of nucleic acids with redox active moieties such as transition metal complexes. Electron donor and electron acceptor moieties are covalently bound to the ribose-phosphate backbone of a nucleic acid at predetermined positions. The resulting complexes represent a series of new derivatives that are bimolecular templates capable of transferring electrons over very large distances at extremely fast rates. These complexes possess unique structural features which enable the use of an entirely new class of bioconductors and photoactive probes.

Claims

1. A composition comprising a single-stranded nucleic acid containing at least one electron donor moiety and at least one electron acceptor moiety, wherein said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety are covalently attached to said nucleic acid, and wherein said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety are not redox proteins.

5. A composition according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein at least one of said electron acceptor moiety and said electron donor moiety is attached to a terminal base.

6. A composition according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein said nucleic acid comprises a ribose-phosphate backbone.

7. A composition according to claim 6 wherein at least one of said electron acceptor moiety and said electron donor moiety is attached to a ribose of said ribose-phosphate backbone.

8. A composition according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein said nucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid analog.

9. A composition according to claim 8 wherein said nucleic acid analog comprises a peptide nucleic acid.

10. A composition according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein at least one of said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety is a transition metal complex.

11. A composition according to claim 10 wherein said transition metal complex comprises ruthenium, rhenium, osmium, platinium, copper or iron.

12. A composition according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein at least one of said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety is an organic electron donor or acceptor.

13. A composition according to claim 1 or 3 wherein at least one of said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety is an electrode.

14. A method of detecting a target sequence in a nucleic acid sample comprising:

a) hybridizing a single-stranded nucleic acid according to claim 1 or 2 to said target sequence, if present, to form a hybridization complex;

b) detecting electron transfer between said electron donor and said electron acceptor moieties.

17. A method according to claim 14, 15 or 16 wherein at least one of said electron acceptor moiety and said electron donor moiety is attached to a terminal base.

18. A method according to claim 14, 15 or 16 wherein said nucleic acid comprises a ribose-phosphate backbone.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein at least one of said electron acceptor moiety and said electron donor moiety is attached to a ribose of said ribose-phosphate backbone.

20. A method according to claim 14, 15 or 16 wherein said nucleic acid comprises a nucleic acid analog.

21. A composition according to claim 20 wherein said nucleic acid analog comprises a peptide nucleic acid.

22. A method according to claim 14, 15 or 16 wherein at least one of said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety is a transition metal complex.

23. A composition according to claim 22 wherein said transition metal complex comprises ruthenium, rhenium, osmium, platinium, copper or iron.

24. A method according to claim 14, 15 or 16 wherein at least one of said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety is an organic electron donor or acceptor.

25. A method according to claim 14, 15 or 16 wherein at least one of said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety is an electrode.

2. A composition comprising a single-stranded nucleic acid containing at least one electron donor moiety and at least one electron acceptor moiety, wherein at least one of said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety is an electrode and the other is an electron transfer moiety which is not a redox protein and which is covalently attached to said nucleic acid.

3. A composition comprising a first single stranded nucleic acid containing at least one electron donor moiety and a second single stranded nucleic acid containing at least one electron acceptor moiety, wherein said electron donor and acceptor moieties are covalently attached to said nucleic acid such that there are no more than seven sigma bonds between each of said electron donor and acceptor moieties and the closest base, and wherein said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety are not redox proteins.

4. A composition comprising a first single stranded nucleic acid containing at least one electron donor moiety and a second single stranded nucleic acid containing at least one electron acceptor moiety, wherein at least one of said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety is an electrode, and the other is an electron transfer moiety which is not a redox protein and which is covalently attached to said nucleic acid.

15. A method of detecting a target sequence in a nucleic acid wherein said target sequence comprises a first target domain and a second target domain adjacent to said first target domain, wherein said method comprises:

a) hybridizing a first nucleic acid containing at least one electron donor moiety to said first target domain;

b) hybridizing a second nucleic acid containing at least one electron acceptor moiety to said second target domain, wherein said electron donor and electron acceptor moieties are covalently attached to said nucleic acid and are not redox proteins; and

c) detecting electron transfer between said electron donor and said electron acceptor moieties.

16. A method of detecting a target sequence in a nucleic acid wherein said target sequence comprises a first target domain and a second target domain adjacent to said first target domain wherein said method comprises:

a) hybridizing a first nucleic acid containing at least one electron donor moiety to said first target domain;

b) hybridizing a second nucleic acid containing at least one electron acceptor moiety to said second target domain, wherein at least one of said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety is an electrode, and the other is an electron transfer moiety which is not a redox protein and which is covalently attached to said nucleic acid; and

c) detecting electron transfer between said electron donor and said electron acceptor moieties.

26. A method for making a single-stranded nucleic acid containing at least one covalently attached electron donor moiety and at least one covalently attached electron acceptor moiety, wherein said donor and acceptor moieties are not redox proteins, said method comprising:

a) optionally attaching at least one nucleoside to a solid support to form a nascent nucleic acid;

b) attaching a first modified nucleoside to said solid support or said nascent nucleic acid;

c) attaching at least one additional nucleoside to said first modified nucleoside;

d) attaching a second modified nucleoside to said nascent nucleic acid;

e) optionally attaching at least one additional nucleoside to said nascent nucleic acid; and

f) covalently attaching an electron donor moiety and an electron acceptor moiety to said modified nucleosides to form said single stranded nucleic acid.

27. A method for making a composition comprising a first single stranded nucleic acid containing at least one electron donor moiety and a second single stranded nucleic acid containing at least one electron acceptor moiety, wherein said electron donor and acceptor moieties are covalently attached to said nucleic acid such that there are no more than seven sigma bonds between each of said electron donor and acceptor moieties and the closest base, and wherein said electron donor moiety and said electron acceptor moiety are not redox proteins, said method comprising:

a) making said first nucleic acid by;

i) optionally attaching at least one nucleoside to a solid support to form a nascent first nucleic acid;

ii) attaching a first modified nucleoside to said solid support or said nascent first nucleic acid;

iii) attaching at least one additional nucleoside to said first modified nucleoside;

iv) attaching a second modified nucleoside to said nascent first nucleic acid;

v) optionally attaching at least one additional nucleoside to said nascent first nucleic acid;

b) making said second nucleic acid by;

i) optionally attaching at least one nucleoside to a solid support to form a nascent second nucleic acid;

ii) attaching a first modified nucleoside to said solid support or said second nascent nucleic acid;

iii) attaching at least one additional nucleoside to said first modified nucleoside

iv) attaching a second modified nucleoside to said nascent second nucleic acid;

v) optionally attaching at least one additional nucleoside to said nascent second nucleic acid; and

c) covalently attaching an electron donor moiety and an electron acceptor moiety to said modified nucleosides.