Caged circular antisense oligonucleotides for photomodulation of RNA digestion and gene expression in cells.

We synthesized three 20 mer caged circular antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (R20, R20B2 and R20B4) with a photocleavable linker and an amide bond linker between two 10 mer oligodeoxynucleotides. With these caged circular antisense oligodeoxynucleotides, RNA-binding affinity and its digestion by ribonuclease H were readily photomodulated. RNA cleavage rates were upregulated ~43-, 25- and 15-fold for R20, R20B2 and R20B4, respectively, upon light activation in vitro. R20B2 and R20B4 with 2- or 4-nt gaps in the target RNA lost their ability to bind the target RNA even though a small amount of RNA digestion was still observed. The loss of binding ability indicated promising gene photoregulation through a non-enzymatic strategy. To test this strategy, three caged circular antisense oligonucleotides (PS1, PS2 and PS3) with 2'-OMe RNA and phosphorothioate modifications were synthesized to target GFP expression. Upon light activation, photomodulation of target hybridization and GFP expression in cells was successfully achieved with PS1, PS2 and PS3. These caged circular antisense oligonucleotides show promising applications of photomodulating gene expression through both ribonuclease H and non-enzyme involved antisense strategies.

RNA bandages for photoregulating in vitro protein synthesis.

'RNA bandages' are composed of two 6-12-mer 2'-OMe RNA strands complementary to a mRNA target that are joined by a photocleavable linker. These tandem oligonucleotides typically exhibit much higher affinity for the mRNA than the individual strands. An RNA bandage with binding arms of different lengths and a 4-base gap blocked translation in vitro of GFP mRNA; subsequent near-UV irradiation restored translation. This provides a general method of photomodulating hybridization for a variety of oligonucleotide-based technologies.

Caged oligonucleotides for studying biological systems.

Light-activated ("caged") compounds have been widely employed for studying biological processes with high spatial and temporal control. In the past decade, several new approaches for caging the structure and function of DNA and RNA oligonucleotides have been developed. This review focuses on caged oligonucleotides that incorporate site-specifically one or two photocleavable linkers, whose photolysis yields oligonucleotides with dramatic structural and functional changes. This technique has been employed by our laboratory and others to photoregulate gene expression in cells and living organisms, typically using near UV-activated organic chromophores. To improve capabilities for in vivo studies, we harnessed the rich inorganic photochemistry of ruthenium bipyridyl complexes to synthesize Ru-caged morpholino antisense oligonucleotides that remain inactive in zebrafish embryos until uncaged with visible light. Expanding into new caged oligonucleotide applications, our lab has developed Transcriptome In Vivo Analysis (TIVA) technology, which provides the first noninvasive, unbiased method for isolating mRNA from single neurons in brain tissues. TIVA-isolated mRNA can be amplified and then analyzed using next-generation sequencing (RNA-seq).

Temporal and spatial regulation of microRNA activity with photoactivatable cantimirs.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that play numerous important roles in physiology and human diseases. During animal development, many miRNAs are expressed continuously from early embryos throughout adults, yet it is unclear whether these miRNAs are actually required at all the stages of development. Current techniques of manipulating microRNA function lack the required spatial and temporal resolution to adequately address the functionality of a given microRNA at a specific time or at single-cell resolution. To examine stage- or cell-specific function of miRNA during development and to achieve precise control of miRNA activity, we have developed photoactivatable antisense oligonucleotides against miRNAs. These caged oligonucleotides can be activated with 365 nm light with extraordinarily high efficiency to release potent antisense reagents to inhibit miRNAs. Initial application of these caged antimirs in a model organism (C. elegans) revealed that the activity of a miRNA (lsy-6) is required specifically around the comma stage during embryonic development to control a left/right asymmetric differentiation program in the C. elegans nervous system. This suggests that a transient input of lsy-6 during development is sufficient to specify the neuronal cell fate.

Photodynamic antisense regulation of mRNA having a point mutation with psoralen-conjugated oligonucleotide.

Nucleic acid-based drugs, such as antisense oligonucleotide, ribozyme, and small interfering RNA, are specific compounds that inhibit gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. To develop more effective nucleic acid-based drugs, we focused on photo-reactive antisense oligonucleotides. We have optimized the structure of psoralen-conjugated oligonucleotide to improve their sequence selectivity and photo-crosslinking efficiency. Previously, we reported that photo reactive oligonucleotides containing 2'-O-psoralenyl-methoxyethyl adenosine (2'-Ps-eom) showed drastic photo-reactivity with a strictly sequence specific manner in vitro. In this report, we evaluated the binding ability toward intracellular target mRNA. The 2'-Ps-eom selectively photo-cross-linked to the target mRNA extracted from cells. The 2'-Ps-eom also cross-linked to target mRNA in cells. Furthermore, 2'-Ps-eom did not cross-link to mRNA having a mismatch base. These results suggest that 2'-Ps-eom is a powerful antisense molecule to inhibit the expression of mRNA having a point mutation.

Selective regulation of mutant K-ras mRNA expression by photo-cross-linking antisense oligonucleotide.

It has been reported that point mutations in genes are responsible for various cancers and the selective regulation of the gene expression is an important issue to develop new types of anticancer drugs. In this report, we report new types of antisense molecules that photo-cross-link to target mRNA having a point mutation site in a sequence specific manner. We designed and synthesized photo-reactive antisense oligonucleotides containing a 2'-O-psoralen-conjugated adenosine (2'-Ps-oligo). They contain a psoralen via an ethoxymethylene linker (2'-Ps-eom), a propoxymethylene linker (2'-Ps-pom) and a buthoxymethylene linker (2'-Ps-bom), respectively. We evaluated the photo-cross-linking efficiency and the sequence specificity toward complementary RNA. 2'-Ps-eom showed the highest photo-cross-linking efficiency among 2'-Ps-oligos.

Properties of novel antisense oligonucleotides containing 2'-O-modified adenosine with a photo-reactive group.

In order to enhance the efficiency of antisense molecules for target RNA regulation, a novel photo-reactive antisense oligonucleotide was developed. We designed and synthesized a photo-reactive antisense oligonucleotide containing an adenosine in which 2'-OH was modified with 4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (Ps) via an ethoxymethylene linkage (2'-Ps-eom). We evaluated the photo-cross-linking efficiency and sequence specificity toward complementary RNA (match-RNA). 2'-Ps-eom was selectively photo-cross-linked to the match-RNA. The photo-cross-linking efficiency was about 75% upon UVA-irradiation (365 nm) for 10 min. Previously, we reported oligonucleotides that had an adenosine anchoring Ps at 2'-O-position via a methylene linkage (2'-Ps-met). The photo-cross-linking efficiency of 2'-Ps-met and match-RNA was about 35% upon UVA-irradiation for 120 min. The photo-cross-linking efficiency of 2'-Ps-eom was dramatically enhanced in comparison with the one of 2'-Ps-met.

Synthesis and properties of photo-reactive antisense oligonucleotides containing 2'-O-psoralen-conjugated adenosine.

In order to selectively regulate mRNA having a point mutation, the photo-reactive antisense oligonucleotides were developed. Two types of photo-reactive oligonucleotides containing adenosine whose 2'-OH was modified with 4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (psoralen) were synthesized (2'-Ps-oligo). One contains psoralen via a methylene linkage (2'-Ps-met), and the other via an amidomethylene linkage (2'-Ps-amd). 2'-Ps-oligos were then subjected to the photo-cross-linking reaction. 2'-Ps-met cross-linked to the complementary RNA and scarcely did to the RNA having a single mismatch base. Contrarily, 2'-Ps-amd did not cross-link to both RNA strands. These results suggest the structure of the linkage might affect the efficiency of the photo-cross-linking.

Synthesis of antisense oligonucleotides containing a photocleavable protecting group on a guanine base and their photoinduced duplex formation.

An oligonucleotide containing a photocleavable protecting group at a guanine base was synthesized to induce the duplex formation by photo-irradiation. Alpha-methyl-2-nitropiperonyl (MeNP) group was used for the photocleavable protecting group at O6 position of deoxyguanosine. The oligonucleotide containing MeNP group (MeNP-ODN:5'-dTTCTG(MeNP)TCTGT-3') was synthesized by phosphoramidite method. The MeNP group was found to be removable by UV irradiation at wavelength of 365 nm for 5 min in 98% yield. UV-melting temperature (Tm value) analysis indicated that the duplex of MeNP-ODN with the complementary RNA was significantly unstable compared with the unmodified DNA/RNA duplex (deltaTm = -25 degrees C). After UV irradiation at 365 nm, the Tm value of the mixture increased to the same as that of the unmodified duplex. These results suggest that the RNA binding ability of the MeNP-ODN can be induced by photocleavage of the MeNP group.

Photoactivatable antisense DNA: suppression of ampicillin resistance in normally resistant Escherichia coli.

Antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides complementary to a segment of the beta-lactamase gene and containing psoralen monoadducts at specific sites were examined for their ability to make normally resistant bacteria sensitive to ampicillin. Irradiation of oligonucleotides and psoralens with long-wavelength ultraviolet radiation (380-400 nm) produced monoadducted antisense molecules. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to purify microgram quantities of photoactivatable antisense DNA. Escherichia coli transformed with a plasmid containing the gene for beta-lactamase were used to test a series of oligonucleotides containing psoralen monoadducts after additional exposure to the photoactivating effects of long-wavelength ultraviolet radiation (320-400 nm). Normally resistant bacteria treated with this photoactivatable form of antisense DNA (0.4 microM) were specifically sensitized to ampicillin. The reduction in colony formation ranged from 31 to 79% in comparison to control oligonucleotides which did not contain photoactivatable monoadduct moieties. Bacteria treated in a similar manner but in the presence of tetracycline instead of ampicillin were not affected. The activity of beta-galactosidase, whose gene is located on the same plasmid as beta-lactamase, was not affected.