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Development of synthetic agents that recognize double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) is a long-standing goal that is inspired by the promise for tools that detect, regulate and modify genes. Progress has been made with triplex-forming oligonucleotides, PNAs, and polyamides, but substantial efforts are currently devoted to the development of alternative strategies that overcome limitations observed with the classic approaches. In 2005, we introduced Invader Locked Nucleic Acids (LNAs), i.e., double-stranded probes that are activated for mixed-sequence recognition of dsDNA through modification with ‘+1 interstrand zippers’ of 2’-N-(pyren-1-yl)methyl-2’-amino-α-L-LNA monomers. Despite promising preliminary results, progress has been slow due to the synthetic complexity of the building blocks. Here, we describe a study that led to the identification of two simpler classes of Invader monomers. We compare thermal denaturation characteristics of double-stranded probes featuring different interstrand zippers of pyrene-functionalized monomers based on 2’-amino-α-L-LNA, 2’-N-methyl-2’-amino-DNA, and RNA scaffolds. Insights from fluorescence spectroscopy, molecular modeling and NMR spectroscopy are used to elucidate the structural factors that govern probe activation. We demonstrate that probes with +1 zippers of 2’-O-(pyren-1-yl)methyl-RNA or 2’-N-methyl-2’-N-(pyren-1-yl)methyl-2’-amino-DNA monomers recognize DNA hairpins with similar efficiency as original Invader LNAs. Access to synthetically simple monomers will accelerate the use of Invader-mediated dsDNA-recognition for applications in molecular biology and nucleic acid diagnostics.

Despite progress with triplex-forming oligonucleotides or helix-invading peptide nucleic acids (PNAs), there remains a need for probes facilitating sequence-unrestricted targeting of double stranded DNA (dsDNA) at physiologically relevant conditions. Invader LNA probes, i.e., DNA duplexes with "+1 interstrand zipper arrangements" of intercalator-functionalized 2'-amino-α-L-LNA monomers, are demonstrated herein to recognize short mixed sequence dsDNA targets. This approach, like pseudo-complementary PNA (pcPNA), relies on relative differences in stability between probe duplexes and the corresponding probe:target duplexes for generation of a favourable thermodynamic gradient. Unlike pcPNA, Invader LNA probes take advantage of the "nearest neighbour exclusion principle", i.e., intercalating units of Invader LNA monomers are poorly accommodated in probe duplexes but extraordinarily well tolerated in probe-target duplexes (ΔT m /modification up to +11.5 °C). Recognition of isosequential dsDNA-targets occurs: a) at experimental temperatures much lower than the thermal denaturation temperatures (T m 's) of Invader LNAs or dsDNA-targets, b) at a wide range of ionic strengths, and c) with good mismatch discrimination. dsDNA recognition is monitored in real-time using inherent pyrene-pyrene excimer signals of Invader LNA probes, which provides insights into reaction kinetics and enables rational design of probes. These properties render Invader LNAs as promising probes for biomedical applications entailing sequence-unrestricted recognition of dsDNA.

Incorporation of a single pyrene-functionalized 2'-amino-alpha-l-LNA monomer X into short DNA strands induces extraordinarily high binding affinity towards complementary DNA (up to 16 degrees C increase per modification), whereas labile duplexes, suitable as probes for targeting of double stranded DNA, are formed upon positioning of two monomers X in an interstrand +1 zipper motif.

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Chemically modified oligonucleotides are increasingly applied in nucleic acid based therapeutics and diagnostics. LNA (Locked Nucleic Acid) and its diastereomer α-L-LNA are two promising examples hereof that exhibit increased thermal and enzymatic stability. Herein, the synthesis, biophysical characterization and molecular modeling of N2′-functionalized 2′-amino-α-L-LNA is described. Chemoselective N2′-functionalization of protected amino alcohol 1 followed by phosphitylation afforded a structurally varied set of target phosphoramidites, which were incorporated into oligodeoxyribonucleotides. Incorporation of pyrene-functionalized building blocks such as 2′-N-(pyren-1-yl)carbonyl-2′-amino-α-L-LNA (monomer X) led to extraordinary increases in thermal affinity of up to +19.5 °C per modification against DNA targets in particular. In contrast, incorporation of building blocks with small non-aromatic N2′-functionalities such as 2′-N-acetyl-2′-amino-α-L-LNA (monomer V) had detrimental effects on thermal affinity toward DNA/RNA complements with decreases of as much as −16.5 °C per modification. Extensive thermal DNA selectivity, favorable entropic contributions upon duplex formation, hybridization-induced bathochromic shifts of pyrene absorption maxima and increases of circular dichroism signals, and molecular modeling studies suggest that pyrene functionalized 2′-amino-α-L-LNA monomers W-Y having short linkers between the bicyclic skeleton and the pyrene moiety, allow high-affinity hybridization with DNA complements and precise positioning of intercalators in nucleic acid duplexes. This rigorous positional control has been utilized for the development probes for emerging therapeutic and diagnostic applications focusing on DNA-targeting.

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