These peptide-oligonucleotide chimeras offer a new, versatile class of material building blocks with properties and assembly characteristics deriving from both nucleic acids and peptides. Few classes of biomolecules offer the programmability of nucleic acids and peptides. Nucleic acids offer site-specificity that allows for the construction of intricate nanoscale architectures. Peptides offer highly modular assembly and substrate-recognition capabilities. Combining these complementary powers into a single biomolecule enables the assembly of materials with completely new features and properties that have a wide array of applications. However, previous attempts at DNA-peptide conjugates have resulted in a product where the properties of either nucleic acids or peptides dominate.
Description
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have developed modular and programable peptide-oligonucleotide chimeras wherein the peptide and oligonucleotide are interlinked with an organic core. This highly tunable, modular assembly platform allows both components to be independently varied. The resulting peptide-oligonucleotide chimeras have beneficial properties of both peptides and nucleic acids as well as the directionality of the core, and they can assemble into either vesicles or fibers depending on the length of the oligonucleotide and the ionic strength of the assembly media. These peptide-oligonucleotide chimeras are a versatile class of material building blocks that can be used for the construction of responsive and dynamic functional materials.
Applications
· Novel peptide-oligonucleotide chimeras that are versatile building blocks of soft nanoscale materials with properties and assembly characteristics of both peptides and nucleic acids.
Advantages
· Versatile peptide coupling using simple chemistry
· Flexible linker geometry, valency, and peptide/nucleotide sequences
· Tunable shape-shifting morphology
· Responsive to environmental conditions and external stimuli
· High-yield synthesis
Invention Readiness
Prototype
IP Status
https://patents.google.com/patent/US11491231B2
