Comparing the effects of physiologically-based metal oxide nanoparticles on ribonucleic acid and RAS/RBD-targeted triplex and aptamer interactions.

Physiological metals such as zinc, magnesium, and nickel facilitate nucleic acid and protein interactions and stability. In the nanoscale, the impact these have on nucleic acid structure-function is very poorly understood and was investigated here. Nanoparticles' (NP) RNA precipitation efficiency was in the order; NiO > MgO > ZnO > CaO > CaCO3>Cu. Gel mobility shift was observed for MgO and especially ZnO NP. Loss of staining intensity was shown for Cu suggesting this NP may denature RNA supported by the UV- and CD-spectroscopy patterns, change in area-under-the-curve (AUC) and abs260 nm measurements. Aptamer and triplex-forming oligomer (TFO) sequences were designed targeting RAS/Ras binding domain (RBD) and the impact of the NP on target interaction investigated. MgO NP promotes aptamer:RBD interaction and preserves triplex formation whereas NiO NP effects duplex migration and intensifies staining of the triplex suggesting a novel mechanism of interaction and conformation. These data strongly support the role of MgO, ZnO and NiO NP for nucleic acid nanobio interaction and suggest potential biomedical application for such novel interfaces.