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NATURE-ETN

Tayler at the ISNAC conference in Japan

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On November 1, our ESR Tayler David Prieto from the University of Reading presented a poster at the 50th International Symposium on Nucleic Acid Chemistry (ISNAC 2023) organised by the Japan Society of Nucleic Acids Chemistry in Miyazaki, Japan.

Tayler presented his work on DNA major groove intercalation by a ruthenium (II) diimine complex, which results from collaborative work with the Kellett group at Dublin City University.

During the event, our PI James Hall from the University of Reading also presented the NATURE-ETN project to the audience.

Next week, Tayler will have the opportunity to visit the Frontier Institute for Biomolecular Engineering Research (FIBER) in Kobe and share his work within the FIBER Future College 103 open seminar.

A new publication from the collaboration between LMU and baseclick

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Our ESR Eva Schönegger, together with colleagues from the company baseclick GmbH and the Carell group at LMU Münich, just published a new paper titled “Orthogonal end labelling of oligonucleotides via dual incorporation of Click reactive NTP analogues” on ChemBioChem.

The paper introduces a modular method for modifying DNA and RNA strands at both ends with click-modifiable functional groups using γ-modified ATP analogues and T4 PNK catalysis for 5′-modification, compatible with TdT-catalyzed 3′-elongation using 3′-Azido-2′,3′-ddGTP. The approach is demonstrated to be suitable for oligo-oligo ligations and ssDNA-circularization, potentially enhancing the utility of oligonucleotides in therapeutic and diagnostic applications, particularly in next-generation sequencing.

The list of publications originating from the network can be found on our Dissemination page.

Jamie and colleagues at Origins of Life Donostia Meeting 2023

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Our ESR Chun Yin (Jamie) Chan from the Carell group at LMU Munich, together with colleagues presented their work at the Origins of Life Donostia Meeting in Donostia-San Sebastian, Basque Country (Spain).

He presented his work on “RNA modifications as molecular fossils of an early protocell world”, co-authored with Johannes Singer and Thomas Carell.

New publication on super cytotoxic Re(I) complexes

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Collaborative work between researchers from the University of the Free World in South Africa and the Gasser group at PSL University has just been published in Inorganic Chemistry. This work notably includes a contribution from our ESR Maria Dalla Pozza.

This paper presents Re(I) carbonyl complexes with exceptionally low nanomolar cytotoxic activity toward prostate cancer cells, demonstrating further the future viability of utilising rhenium in the fight against cancer.

It is available Open Access here.

Tayler presents his work around the world

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Our ESR Tayler David Prieto from the University of Reading presented his work on synthetic and structural studies of ruthenium complexes as DNA major groove binders at different conferences.

He first presented a poster at the 16th  International Symposia of Applied Bioinorganic Chemistry (ISABC), which took place in Ioannina, Greece from the 11th to the 14th of June 2023. On the 7th of July, he did an oral presentation about it at the 19th Royal Society of Chemistry’s Nucleic Acid Forum in London, UK. His journey continued in Adelaide, Australia, for the 20th International Conference on Biological Inorganic Chemistry (ICBIC20), where he gave another oral presentation.

The poster can be found here.

The aim of his project, in collaboration with Diamond Light Source and the Kellett group at Dublin City University, is to provide the first crystallographic evidence of a ruthenium polypyridyl complex binding from the DNA major groove; potentially, as one component of a DNA-binding triplex-forming oligonucleotide (TFO) assembly.

Maria’s secondment experience in Oxford, UK

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After the great experience I had during my first secondment at the University of Reading, I had the chance to spend one month at the University of Oxford, in the UK, supervised by Prof. Tom Brown and Prof. Afaf El-Sagheer.

This time I was not alone, but Tania (ESR9) and Malou (ESR5) came for their secondment in the same period. The first day I went to the lab I was very excited about the new experience in such an important group and university. The group gave me a warm welcome when I arrived, and I felt happy and thrilled to be there.

During this secondment, I learnt many new techniques and developed new skills, supervised by very professional and passionate scientists, always keen to teach me.

During my stay, I used click chemistry reactions to link the Ruthenium compounds I synthesised at Chimie ParisTech – PSL to some triplex-forming oligonucleotides. I learnt how the oligonucleotides are synthesised, thanks to Prof. Afaf El-Sagheer who was always keen to teach me, and I performed the reactions helped by Diallo (ESR 6), who kindly and patiently taught and illustrated the techniques.

During this experience, I had the opportunity to learn, develop my scientific skills, and know a different scientific environment.

But it was not just science! I had great experiences like visiting the beautiful Oxford, and getting into some of the Colleges – thanks to the “local”, Sebastian (ESR1). The cherry on top was the fairy tale experience of having a formal dinner in a College!

Overall, this experience was magic! From the scientific and personal point of view. I am very happy and grateful I had the chance to live all these great adventures thanks to the NATURE-ETN project!

By Maria Dalla Pozza (ESR3)

New Cluster for Nucleic Acid-based Therapeutics in Munich

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The winners of the second round of the Clusters4Future competition in Germany have been announced by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Among them is C-NATM, a cluster focused on the development of innovative therapies using nucleic acids. C-NATM is led by Prof. Thomas Carell, Director of the Institute of Chemical Epigenetics at LMU Munich and Supervisor of two ESRs in NATURE-ETN. The cluster involves the two universities in Munich, the Helmholtz Center for Health Research, and various international and biotech companies based in the Munich area.

The main objective of C-NATM is to create ground-breaking therapeutics using DNA, RNA, and smaller nucleic acids. An example of this is the development of RNA-based vaccines for combating COVID-19, although the potential of these technologies extends far beyond that, potentially opening up a new era in drug therapy.

The Cluster will receive five million euros funding annually from the German government, the Free State of Bavaria, and participating companies.

Tania’s secondments from Warsaw to Oxford

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Our ESR Tania Sánchez Quirante from the Hocek group at the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry in Czechia recently did two secondments at the Universities of Warsaw (Poland) and Oxford (UK).

From January to February 2023, Tania did her first secondment at the Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Biophysical Chemistry at the University of Warsaw, where she synthesized and purified modified cap RNA 70nt long and modified mRNA by in-vitro transcription. She also learned how to do in-vitro translation using the rabbit reticulocyte system.

In April 2023, she stayed at the Tom Brown group at the University of Oxford. She synthesized modified single-guide RNA 99nt long by in-vitro transcription reaction and used this sgRNA to perform CRISPR-Cas experiments. In addition, she did stability experiments of the modified sgRNA in Human serum.

Crystal clear insight: ESRs explore the world of crystallography and structural biology

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The Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) were thrilled to participate in the 5th training week about nucleic acids and crystallography. The first two days were spent attending the Oligo 2023 conference in Oxford. They listened to experts talk about nucleic acid, base modification, aptamers, and more. They were fascinated by the new developments and ideas in this field.

After the conference, the ESRs visited the Oxford Nanopore Technologies research facilities. They gained a deep understanding of how the research industry works and how scientists turn their ideas into reality. The ESRs were impressed by the state-of-the-art facilities and the advanced equipment used for research.

The next two days were spent at the University of Reading, where the ESRs attended engaging talks about crystallography and data processing. They had the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities such as crystallisation, plate preparation, high throughput robot, and learning to recognise and collect good crystals. Finally, they collected data from the X-ray, which was an exciting experience for them.

After a free afternoon spent in London, the ESRs were welcomed at Diamond Light Source. They were given an intense tour of the different facilities and beam lines available at the synchrotron. They gained an understanding of the Cryo-EM and laser technology used in the field of structural biology for protein and nucleic acids. It was an eye-opening experience for them, and they had a lot of fun learning about this exciting field. Overall, the ESRs found the 5th training week about nucleic acids and crystallography to be an enlightening experience. They were exposed to the latest developments in the field, and the hands-on experience provided them with a deeper understanding of the processes involved. They were inspired to continue their research with renewed enthusiasm and curiosity.

By Ahmad Abdullrahman (ESR4)