Claims
- 1. An isolated "i-motif" nucleic acid complex which comprises DNA and/or RNA which complex comprises at least four cytosine-rich regions or regions rich in cytosine derivatives and having two parallel-stranded duplexes in which the cytosine or cytosine derivatives form base pairs and wherein said duplexes are associated anti-parallel to one another and further wherein said pairs of cytosine or cytosine derivatives contained in one of said duplexes are intercalated with those of the second duplex.
- 2. The "i-motif" nucleic acid complex of claim 1 wherein each of said cytosine-rich regions comprise at least two consecutive cytosines or cytosine derivatives.
- 3. The "i-motif" nucleic acid complex of claim 1 which has been produced by treating one or more nucleic acid structures comprising cytosine-rich regions or regions rich in cytosine derivatives under acidic conditions.
- 4. The "i-motif" nucleic acid complex of claim 3 wherein said cytosine-rich regions each comprise at least two consecutive cytosines or cytosine analogs.
- 5. The complex of claim 1 which is produced from a single stranded nucleic acid molecule comprising at least four cytosine-rich or cytosine derivative-rich regions.
- 6. The complex of claim 2 which is produced from a single stranded nucleic acid molecule comprising at least four cytosine-rich or cytosine derivative-rich regions.
- 7. The complex of claim 1 wherein the cytosine-rich or cytosine derivative-rich region each comprise at least four contiguous cytosines or cytosine derivatives.
- 8. The complex of claim 1 wherein said complex is produced using two nucleic acid strands each of which comprise at least two cytosine-rich or cytosine derivative-rich regions.
- 9. The complex of claim 8 wherein each of said cytosine-rich or cytosine derivative-rich regions comprises at least two cytosines or cytosine derivatives.
- 10. The complex of claim 8 wherein each of said cytosine-rich or cytosine derivative-rich regions comprises at least four contiguous cytosines or cytosine derivatives.
- 11. The complex of claim 1 wherein at least one of the nucleic acids contained therein is a non-naturally occurring nucleic acid.
- 12. The complex of claim 2 wherein at least one of the nucleic acids contained therein is a non-naturally occurring nucleic acid.
- 13. The complex of claim 5 wherein at least one of the nucleic acids contained therein is a non-naturally occurring nucleic acid.
- 14. The complex of claim 1 wherein said cytosine derivatives comprise substitutions to the sugar phosphate portion of the cytosine structure.
- 15. A process for producing an "i-motif" nucleic acid complex comprising treating one or more nucleic acid molecules each comprising at least two cytosine-rich or cytosine derivative-rich regions under conditions which provide for the formation of an "i-motif" nucleic acid complex.
- 16. The process of claim 15 wherein said conditions comprise acidic conditions.
- 17. The process of claim 15 wherein said cytosine-rich region comprises a telomeric or centromeric sequence.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 08/121,200, filed Sep. 15, 1993, abandoned.
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
Uhlmann et al (1990) Chem. Rev. 90(4), 543-584. |
Milligan et al. (1993) J. Med. Chem, 36(14), 1923-1937. |
Leroy et al. (1993) Biochem. 32, 6019-6031. |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
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121200 |
Sep 1993 |
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