A Thousand Points Of Light: PNA Technology From Perseptive Biosystems

In the few years since the introduction of peptide nucleic acid, or PNA (P.E. Ni et al., Science 254:1497-1500, 1991)-a nucleic acid analog with a peptide rather than sugar-phosphate backbone-no less than 200 papers detailing some 25 different applications of the technology have been published. Antisense inhibition, strand invasion, PCR clamping, all manner of hybridizations, and even the routine detection of single base changes in DNA are but a few of the proven uses of PNA. PerSeptive Biosyst

| 3 min read

Register for free to listen to this article
Listen with Speechify
0:00
3:00
Share

In the few years since the introduction of peptide nucleic acid, or PNA (P.E. Ni et al., Science 254:1497-1500, 1991)-a nucleic acid analog with a peptide rather than sugar-phosphate backbone-no less than 200 papers detailing some 25 different applications of the technology have been published. Antisense inhibition, strand invasion, PCR clamping, all manner of hybridizations, and even the routine detection of single base changes in DNA are but a few of the proven uses of PNA. PerSeptive Biosystems now offers a range of products to assist in the production of PNA probes: Expedite PNA solid-phase chemistry and software upgrades to enable the synthesis of PNA on PerSeptive's Expedite DNA 8909 Nucleic Acid Synthesis System, PNA Fmoc and t-Boc monomers and PNA synthesis reagents, and custom PNA synthesis.

Metaphase chromosomes from normal human lymphocytes after hybridization with Cy3 labeled PNA (orange/yellow) with DAPI staioned chromosomes. Photo courtesy of Peter M. Lansdorp. ...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

The Scientist Logo
Receive full access to digital editions of The Scientist, as well as TS Digest, feature stories, more than 35 years of archives, and much more!
Already a member? Login Here
July Digest 2025
July 2025, Issue 1

What Causes an Earworm?

Memory-enhancing neural networks may also drive involuntary musical loops in the brain.

View this Issue
Accelerating Recombinase Reprogramming with Machine Learning

Accelerating Recombinase Reprogramming with Machine Learning

Genome Modeling and Design: From the Molecular to Genome Scale

Genome Modeling and Design: From the Molecular to Genome Scale

Twist Bio 
Screening 3D Brain Cell Cultures for Drug Discovery

Screening 3D Brain Cell Cultures for Drug Discovery

DNA and pills, conceptual illustration of the relationship between genetics and therapeutic development

Multiplexing PCR Technologies for Biopharmaceutical Research

Thermo Fisher Logo

Products

waters-logo

Waters and BD's Biosciences & Diagnostic Solutions Business to Combine, Creating a Life Science and Diagnostics Leader Focused on Regulated, High-Volume Testing

zymo-research-logo

Zymo Research Partners with Harvard University to Bring the BioFestival to Cambridge, Empowering World-class Research

10x-genomics-logo

10x Genomics and A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore Launch TISHUMAP Study to Advance AI-Driven Drug Target Discovery

The Scientist Placeholder Image

Sino Biological Sets New Industry Standard with ProPure Endotoxin-Free Proteins made in the USA