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by Abdullah on November 30th, 2009

Abdullah

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Most people know DNA and RNA but what is PNA?

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Answers. 3 helpful answers below.

  • by iwnit on November 30th, 2009

    iwnit

    Among nucleic acids, it is "Peptide nucleic acid".

    1) "PNA has a variety of meanings:

    - Chemistry:
    Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons, more commonly referred to as Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
    Paranitroanilide (pNA), a group added to peptides which allows colorimetric analysis of protease activity

    - Biology:
    Peanut agglutinin, a lectin specific for Gal-β(1-3)-GalNAc
    Peptide nucleic acid, an artificially synthesized polymer similar to DNA or RNA and is used in biological research and medical treatments.
    Parisiensia Nomina Anatomica - the revision of anatomic nomenclature.

    - Computing:
    HomePNA, a home computer networking standard using standard telephone cabling
    Personal Navigation Assistant (PNA)

    - Engineering:
    Programmable Network Analyzer

    - Health:
    Partial Nail Avulsion, treatment of ingrown toenails.
    Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs.

    - Horticulture:
    Pna, the abbreviation for orchid genus Paphinia

    - Meteorology:
    Pacific-North American teleconnection pattern

    - News:
    Philippines News Agency ‎

    - Organizations:
    Polish National Alliance
    Pennsylvania Newspaper Association

    - Politics and Government:
    Palestinian National Authority, an interim administrative organization in the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank
    Pakistan National Alliance
    Partido Nueva Alianza, the Spanish name for the New Alliance Party (Mexico)
    Prefectura Naval Argentina, the Spanish name for the Argentine Naval Prefecture, an Argentine coast guard force and a gendarmerie on major rivers

    - Transportation:
    Pacific Northern Airlines
    Pamplona Airport
    Ports of Normandy Authority"
    Source and further information:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PNA


    2) "Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is an artificially synthesized polymer similar to DNA or RNA and is used in biological research and medical treatments. PNA is not known to occur naturally.
    DNA and RNA have a deoxyribose and ribose sugar backbone, respectively, whereas PNA's backbone is composed of repeating N-(2-aminoethyl)-glycine units linked by peptide bonds. The various purine and pyrimidine bases are linked to the backbone by methylene carbonyl bonds. PNAs are depicted like peptides, with the N-terminus at the first (left) position and the C-terminus at the right.

    Since the backbone of PNA contains no charged phosphate groups, the binding between PNA/DNA strands is stronger than between DNA/DNA strands due to the lack of electrostatic repulsion. Early experiments with homopyrimidine strands (strands consisting of only one repeated pyrimidine base) have shown that the Tm ("melting" temperature) of a 6-base thymine PNA/adenine DNA double helix was 31 °C in comparison to an equivalent 6-base DNA/DNA duplex that denatures at a temperature less than 10 °C. Mixed base PNA molecules are true mimics of DNA molecules in terms of base-pair recognition. PNA/PNA binding is stronger than PNA/DNA binding.

    Synthetic peptide nucleic acid oligomers have been used in recent years in molecular biology procedures, diagnostic assays and antisense therapies. Due to their higher binding strength it is not necessary to design long PNA oligomers for use in these roles, which usually require oligonucleotide probes of 20–25 bases. The main concern of the length of the PNA-oligomers is to guarantee the specificity. PNA oligomers also show greater specificity in binding to complementary DNAs, with a PNA/DNA base mismatch being more destabilizing than a similar mismatch in a DNA/DNA duplex. This binding strength and specificity also applies to PNA/RNA duplexes. PNAs are not easily recognized by either nucleases or proteases, making them resistant to enzyme degradation. PNAs are also stable over a wide pH range. Though an unmodified PNA cannot readily cross cell membranes to enter the cytosol, covalently coupling a cell penetrating peptide to a PNA can improve cytosolic delivery.

    It has been hypothesized that the earliest life on Earth may have used PNA as a genetic material due to its extreme robustness, simpler formation and possible spontaneous polymerization at 100°C (while water at standard pressure boils at this temperature, water at high pressure—as in deep ocean—boils at higher temperatures). If this is so, life evolved to a DNA/RNA-based system only at a later stage. Evidence for this PNA world hypothesis is however far from conclusive. See RNA world hypothesis for related information."
    Source and further information:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peptide_nucleic_acid

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  • by pandora on November 30th, 2009

    pandora

    Parents
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  • by Biosyn on July 22nd, 2010

    Biosyn

    Not only has Bio-Synthesis continued to provide quality DNA products and services for the research community, but it has also become a world leader in providing custom peptide products and services.Bio-Synthesis provides high quality peptides, carrier conjugation, antipeptide antibody production, antigenic peptide design, long peptides, modified peptides, MALDI TOF analysis contract research, consultation services and more.

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