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Martin A Maier

Publications and source records attributed to Martin A Maier.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Effect of DNA modifications on DNA processing by HIV-1 integrase and inhibitor binding: role of DNA backbone flexibility and an open catalytic site.

Integration of the viral cDNA into host chromosomes is required for viral replication. Human immunodeficiency virus integrase catalyzes two sequential reactions, 3'-processing (3'-P) and strand transfer (ST). The first integrase inhibitors are undergoing clinical trial, but interactions of inhibitors with integrase and DNA are not well understood in the absence of a co-crystal structure. To increase our understanding of integrase interactions with DNA, we examined integrase catalysis with oligonucleotides containing DNA backbone, base, and groove modifications placed at unique positions surrounding the 3'-processing site. 3'-Processing was blocked with substrates containing constrained sugars and alpha-anomeric residues, suggesting that integrase requires flexibility of the phosphodiester backbone at the 3'-P site. Of several benzo[a]pyrene 7,8-diol 9,10-epoxide (BaP DE) adducts tested, only the adduct in the minor groove at the 3'-P site inhibited 3'-P, suggesting the importance of the minor groove contacts for 3'-P. ST occurred in the presence of bulky BaP DE DNA adducts attached to the end of the viral DNA suggesting opening of the active site for ST. Position-specific effects of these BaP DE DNA adducts were found for inhibition of integrase by diketo acids. Together, these results demonstrate the importance of DNA structure and specific contacts with the viral DNA processing site for inhibition by integrase inhibitors.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Evaluation of basic amphipathic peptides for cellular delivery of antisense peptide nucleic acids.

Cellular permeation peptides have been used successfully for the delivery of a variety of cargoes across cellular membranes, including large hydrophilic biomolecules such as proteins, oligonucleotides, or plasmid DNA. For the present work, a series of short amphipathic peptides was designed to elucidate the structural requirements for efficient and nontoxic delivery of peptide nucleic acids (PNAs). On the basis of an idealized alpha-helical structure, the helical parameters were modulated systematically to yield peptides within a certain range of hydrophobicity and amphipathicity. The corresponding PNA conjugates were synthesized and characterized in terms of secondary structure, enzymatic stability, and antisense activity. The study revealed correlations between the physicochemical and biophysical properties of the conjugates and their biological activity and led to the development of potent peptide vectors for the cellular delivery of antisense PNAs. Two representative compounds were radiolabeled and evaluated for their biodistribution in healthy mice.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Structure-activity relationship study on a simple cationic peptide motif for cellular delivery of antisense peptide nucleic acid.

Improving cellular uptake and biodistribution remains one of the major obstacles for a successful and broad application of peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) as antisense therapeutics. Recently, we reported the identification and functional characterization of an antisense PNA, which redirects splicing of murine CD40 pre-mRNA. In this context, it was discovered that a simple octa(l-lysine) peptide covalently linked to the PNA is capable of promoting free uptake of the conjugate into BCL1 cells as well as primary murine macrophages. On the basis of this peptide motif, the present study aimed at identifying the structural features, which define effective peptide carriers for cellular delivery of PNA. While the structure-activity relationship study revealed some clear correlations, only a few modifications actually led to an overall improvement as compared to the parent octa(l-lysine) conjugate. In a preliminary PK/tissue distribution study in healthy mice, the parent conjugate exhibited relatively broad tissue distribution and only modest elimination via excretion within the time frame of the study.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Caught in the act: visualization of an intermediate in the DNA base-flipping pathway induced by HhaI methyltransferase.

Rotation of a DNA or RNA nucleotide out of the double helix and into a protein pocket ('base flipping') is a mechanistic feature common to some DNA/RNA-binding proteins. Here, we report the structure of HhaI methyltransferase in complex with DNA containing a south-constrained abasic carbocyclic sugar at the target site in the presence of the methyl donor byproduct AdoHcy. Unexpectedly, the locked south pseudosugar appears to be trapped in the middle of the flipping pathway via the DNA major groove, held in place primarily through Van der Waals contacts with a set of invariant amino acids. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the structural stabilization observed with the south-constrained pseudosugar will not occur with a north-constrained pseudosugar, which explains its lowered binding affinity. Moreover, comparison of structural transitions of the sugar and phosphodiester backbone observed during computational studies of base flipping in the M.HhaI-DNA-AdoHcy ternary complex indicate that the south-constrained pseudosugar induces a conformation on the phosphodiester backbone that corresponds to that of a discrete intermediate of the base-flipping pathway. As previous crystal structures of M.HhaI ternary complex with DNA displayed the flipped sugar moiety in the antipodal north conformation, we suggest that conversion of the sugar pucker from south to north beyond the middle of the pathway is an essential part of the mechanism through which flipping must proceed to reach its final destination. We also discuss the possibility of the south-constrained pseudosugar mimicking a transition state in the phosphodiester and sugar moieties that occurs during DNA base flipping in the presence of M.HhaI.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed2004

Synthesis and characterization of oligonucleotides containing conformationally constrained bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane pseudosugar analogs.

Oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing pseudorotationally locked sites derived from bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane pseudosugars have been synthesized using adenosine, thymidine and abasic versions of North- and South-methanocarba nucleosides. The reaction conditions for coupling and oxidation steps of oligonucleotide synthesis have been investigated and optimized to allow efficient and facile solid-phase synthesis using phosphoramidite chemistry. Our studies demonstrate that the use of iodine for P(III) to P(V) oxidation leads to strand cleavage at the sites where the pseudosugar is North. In contrast, the same cleavage reaction was not observed in the case of South pseudosugars. Iodine oxidation generates a 5'-phosphate oligonucleotide fragment on the resin and releases the North pseudosugar into the solution. This side reaction, which is responsible for the extremely low yields observed for the incorporation of the North pseudosugar analogs, has been studied in detail and can be easily overcome by replacing iodine with t-butylhydroperoxide as oxidant.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Identification and functional validation of PNAs that inhibit murine CD40 expression by redirection of splicing.

Cognate recognition between the CD40 receptor and its ligand, CD154, is thought to play a central role in the initiation and propagation of immune responses. We describe the specific down regulation of cell surface associated CD40 protein expression by use of a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) antisense inhibitor, ISIS 208529, that is designed to bind to the 3' end of the exon 6 splice junction within the primary CD40 transcript. Binding of ISIS 208529 was found to alter constitutive splicing, leading to the accumulation of a transcript lacking exon 6. The resulting protein product lacks the transmembrane domain. ISIS 208529-mediated CD40 protein depletion was found to be sequence specific and dose dependent, and was dependent on the length of the PNA oligomer. CD40-dependent induction of IL-12 in primary murine macrophages was attenuated in cells treated with ISIS 208529. Oligolysine conjugation to the PNA inhibitor produced an inhibitor, ISIS 278647, which maintained its specificity and displayed efficacy in BCL1 cells and in primary murine macrophages in the absence of delivery agents. These results demonstrate that PNA oligomers can be effective inhibitors of CD40 expression and hence may be useful as novel immuno-modulatory agents.

Alternative Splicing↗
PubMed2002

High-affinity peptide nucleic acid oligomers containing tricyclic cytosine analogues.

[structure: see text] Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) monomers containing the tricyclic cytosine analogues phenoxazine, 9-(2-aminoethoxy)phenoxazine (G-clamp), and 9-(3-aminopropoxy)phenoxazine (propyl-G-clamp) have been synthesized. The modified nucleobases were incorporated into PNA oligomers using Boc-chemistry for solid-phase synthesis. PNAs containing single G-clamp modifications exhibit significantly enhanced affinity toward RNA and DNA targets relative to unmodified PNA while maintaining mismatch discrimination. These PNA G-clamp modifications exhibit the highest increase in affinity toward nucleic acid targets reported so far for PNA modifications.

Cytosine↗
PubMed2002

Systemically delivered antisense oligomers upregulate gene expression in mouse tissues.

Systemically injected 2'-O-methoxyethyl (2'-O-MOE)-phosphorothioate and PNA-4K oligomers (peptide nucleic acid with four lysines linked at the C terminus) exhibited sequence-specific antisense activity in a number of mouse organs. Morpholino oligomers were less effective, whereas PNA oligomers with only one lysine (PNA-1K) were completely inactive. The latter result indicates that the four-lysine tail is essential for the antisense activity of PNA oligomers in vivo. These results were obtained in a transgenic mouse model designed as a positive readout test for activity, delivery, and distribution of antisense oligomers. In this model, the expressed gene (EGFP-654) encoding enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) is interrupted by an aberrantly spliced mutated intron of the human beta-globin gene. Aberrant splicing of this intron prevented expression of EGFP-654 in all tissues, whereas in tissues and organs that took up a splice site-targeted antisense oligomer, correct splicing was restored and EGFP-654 expression upregulated. The sequence-specific ability of PNA-4K and the 2'-O-MOE oligomers to upregulate EGFP-654 provides strong evidence that systemically delivered, chemically modified oligonucleotides affect gene expression by sequence-specific true antisense activity, validating their application as potential therapeutics.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Nuclease resistance of oligonucleotides containing the tricyclic cytosine analogues phenoxazine and 9-(2-aminoethoxy)-phenoxazine ("G-clamp") and origins of their nuclease resistance properties.

The tricyclic cytosine analogues phenoxazine and 9-(2-aminoethoxy)-phenoxazine ("G-clamp") are known to significantly enhance the binding affinity of oligonucleotides to their complementary target DNA or RNA strands. To investigate their effect on the nuclease resistance, they were incorporated into model oligomers with a natural phosphodiester backbone, and enzymatic degradation was monitored in an in vitro assay with snake venom phosphodiesterase as the hydrolytic enzyme. In both cases, a single incorporation at the 3'-terminus completely protected the oligonucleotides against 3'-exonuclease attack. Further investigations indicate that the observed high nuclease resistance is not due to the lack of binding affinity to the enzyme's active site, since these modified oligonucleotides were able to inhibit degradation of a natural DNA fragment by bovine intestinal mucosal phosphodiesterase in a dose-dependent manner.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Synthesis of antisense oligonucleotides conjugated to a multivalent carbohydrate cluster for cellular targeting.

Carrier-mediated delivery holds great promise for significantly improving the cellular uptake and therefore the therapeutic efficacy of antisense oligonucleotides in vivo. A multivalent carbohydrate recognition motif for the asialoglycoprotein receptor has been designed for tissue- and cell-specific delivery of antisense drugs to parenchymal liver cells. To combine low molecular weight with high receptor affinity, the synthetic ligand contains three galactosyl residues attached to a cholane scaffold via epsilon-aminocapramide linkers. Three-dimensional structural calculations indicate that this unique design provides proper spacing and orientation of the three galactosyl residues to accomplish high affinity binding to the receptor. Covalent conjugation of the bulky carbohydrate cluster to oligonucleotides has been achieved by solid-phase synthesis using low-loaded macroporous resins and optimized synthesis protocols.

Animals↗