Modulation of the binding properties of nucleic acid binding partners

1. A method for specifically determining the presence of at least one single stranded target nucleic acid in the presence of at least one other nucleic acid sequence, comprising contacting a target nucleic acid with a probe which binds to said target nucleic acid to form a complex between said target nucleic acid and probe and, after formation of the complex in a reaction mixture, adding to the reaction mixture a compound which enhances the specificity of binding, thereby contacting said complex with the compound which enhances the specificity of binding, wherein said target nucleic acid, said probe or both said target nucleic acid and said probe are peptide nucleic acid binding partners and wherein said complex is in a solution when contacted with said compound.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said compound is soluble in aqueous solutions.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said compound has a hydrophobic part or both a hydrophobic part and a hydrophilic part.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said compound is a surfactant or detergent.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said compound is sodium dodecyl sulphate.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said compound is positively charged.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said target nucleic acid and probe or said complex is contacted with said compound in a solution containing salts at a concentration between 5 to 50 mM.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compound is present in a concentration of between 0.05 and 0.5% w/v.

9. A method for lowering the assay temperature for the specific binding of a nucleic acid to a peptide nucleic acid binding partner in a reaction mixture, comprising adding a compound selected from the group consisting of surfactants and detergents to the reaction mixture in an amount effective to lower the assay temperature for the specific binding of a single stranded target nucleic acid to the peptide nucleic acid binding partner, wherein the compound is added to the reaction mixture after formation of a complex between the nucleic acid and the peptide nucleic acid binding partner.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said peptide nucleic acid binding partners have the general formula 1:

wherein

n is at least 2,

each of L 1 -L n is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 4 ) alkanoyl, naturally occurring nucleobases, non-naturally occurring nucleobases, aromatic moieties, DNA intercalators, nucleobase-binding groups, heterocyclic moieties, reporter ligands and chelating moieties;

each of C 1 -C n is (CR 6 R 7 ) y where R 6 is hydrogen and R 7 is selected from the group consisting of the side chains of naturally occurring alpha amino acids, or R 6 and R 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C 2 -C 6 )alkyl, aryl, (C 1 -C 4 )aralkyl, heteroaryl, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 6 )alkylthio, NR 3 R 4 and SR 5 , where R 3 and R 4 are as defined below, and R 5 is hydrogen, (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 4 ) alkoxy, or (C 1 -C 4 ) alkylthio-substituted(C 1 to C 6 )alkyl or R 6 and R 7 taken together complete an alicyclic or heterocyclic system;

each of D 1 -D n is (CR 6 R 7 ), where R 6 and R 7 are as defined above;

each of y and z is zero or an integer from 1 to 10, the sum y+z being at least 2, but not more than 10;

each of G 1 -G n−1 is NR 3 CO—, —NR 3 C 5 —, NR 3 SO— or NR 3 SO 2 —, where R 3 is as defined below;

each of A 1 -A n and B 1 -B n are selected such that:

(a) A is a group of formula (IIa), (IIb), (IIc) or (IId), and B is N or R 3 N+; or

(b) A is a group of formula (IId) and B is CH;

wherein;

X is O, S, Se, NR 3 , CH 2 or C(CH 3 ) 2 ;

Y is a single bond, O, S or NR 4 ;

each of p and q is zero or an integer from 1 to 5, the sum p+q being not more than 10;

each of r and s is zero or an integer from 1 to 5, the sum r+s being not more than 10;

each R 1 and R 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl which may be hydroxy- or (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy- or (C 1 -C 4 ) alkylthio-substituted, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 4 ) alkoxy, (C 1 -C 4 )alkylthio, amino and halogen; and

each R 3 and R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, hydroxy- or (C 1 -C 4 ) alkoxy- or (C 1 -C 4 ) alkylthio-substituted, (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 4 ) alkoxy, (C 1 -C 4 )alkylthio and amino; and

Q is CO 2 H, —CONR′R″, —SO 3 H or —SO 2 —NR′R″ or an activated derivative of —CO 2 H or —SO 3 H, and

I is —NR′R″ wherein R′ and R″ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C 1 -C 4 ) alkyl, amino protecting groups, reporter ligands, intercalators, chelators, peptides, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, steroids, nucleosides, nucleotides, nucleotide diphosphates, nucleotide triphosphates, oligonucleotides, including both oligoribonucleotides and oligodeoxyribonucleotides, oligonucleosides and soluble and non-soluble polymers.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said peptide nucleic acid binding partners have the general formula 1:

wherein

n is at least 2,

each of L 1 -L n is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 4 ) alkanoyl, naturally occurring nucleobases, non-naturally occurring nucleobases, aromatic moieties, DNA intercalators, nucleobase-binding groups, heterocyclic moieties, reporter ligands and chelating moieties;

each of C 1 -C n is (CR 6 R 7 ) y where R 6 is hydrogen and R 7 is selected from the group consisting of the side chains of naturally occurring alpha amino acids, or R 6 and R 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C 2 -C 6 )alkyl, aryl, (C 1 -C 4 )aralkyl, heteroaryl, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 6 )alkoxy, (C 1 -C 6 )alkylthio, NR 3 R 4 and SR 5 , where R 3 and R 4 are as defined below, and R 5 is hydrogen, (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 4 ) alkoxy, or (C 1 -C 4 ) alkylthio-substituted(C 1 to C 6 )alkyl or R 6 and R 7 taken together complete an alicyclic or heterocyclic system;

each of D 1 -D n is (CR 6 R 7 ) z where R 6 and R 7 are as defined above;

each of y and z is zero or an integer from 1 to 10, the sum y+z being at least 2, but not more than 10;

each of G 1 -G n−1 is NR 3 CO—, —NR 3 C 5 , NR 3 SO— or NR 3 SO 2 —, where R 3 is as defined below;

each of A 1 -A n and B 1 -B n are selected such that:

(a) A is a group of formula (IIa), (IIb), (IIc) or (IId), and B is N or R 3 N+; or

(b) A is a group of formula (IId) and B is CH;

wherein;

X is O, S, Se, NR 3 , CH 2 or C(CH 3 ) 2 ;

Y is a single bond, O, S or NR 4 ;

each of p and q is zero or an integer from 1 to 5, the sum p+q being not more than 10;

each of r and s is zero or an integer from 1 to 5, the sum r+s being not more than 10;

each R 1 and R 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl which may be hydroxy- or (C 1 -C 4 )alkoxy- or (C 1 -C 4 ) alkylthio-substituted, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 4 ) alkoxy, (C 1 -C 4 )alkylthio, amino and halogen; and

each R 3 and R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, hydroxy- or (C 1 -C 4 ) alkoxy- or (C 1 -C 4 ) alkylthio-substituted, (C 1 -C 4 )alkyl, hydroxy, (C 1 -C 4 ) alkoxy, (C 1 -C 4 )alkylthio and amino; and

Q is CO 2 H, —CONR′R″, —SO 3 H or —SO 2 —NR′R″ or an activated derivative of —CO 2 H or —SO 3 H, and

I is —NR′R″ wherein R′ and R″ are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, (C 1 -C 4 ) alkyl, amino protecting groups, reporter ligands, intercalators, chelators, peptides, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, steroids, nucleosides, nucleotides, nucleotide diphosphates, nucleotide triphosphates, oligonucleotides, including both oligoribonucleotides and oligodeoxyribonucleotides, oligonucleosides and soluble and non-soluble polymers.