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A 'locked nucleic acid' (LNA), often referred to as inaccessible RNA, is a modified RNA nucleotide. Ribose moiety of LNA nucleotide is modified with an extra bridge connecting 2' and 4' carbons. The bridge "locks" the ribose in 3'-endo structural conformation, which is often found in A-form of DNA or RNA. LNA nucleotides can be mixed with DNA or RNA bases in the oligonucleotide whenever desired. Such oligomers are commercially available. The locked ribose conformation enhances base stacking and backbone pre-organization. This increases significantly the thermal stability (melting temperature) of oligonucleotides.
LNA nucleotides are used to increase the sensitivity and specificity of expression DNA microarrays, FISH probes, real-time PCR probes and other molecular biology techniques based on oligonucleotides. For the ''in situ'' detection of miRNA the use of LNA is currently (2005) the only efficient method. A triplet of LNA nucleotides surrounding a single-base mismatch site maximizes LNA probe specificity unless the probe contains the guanine base of G-T mismatch. ^[1]

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References

1. Design of LNA probes that improve mismatch discrimination, You Y., , , Nucleic Acids Res., 2006


★ Thermodynamic, Counterion, and Hydration Effects for the Incorporation of Locked Nucleic Acid Nucleotides into DNA Duplexes, Kaur, H., , , Biochemistry, 2006

External links

★ A predictor for the physical properties of LNA modified oligonucleotides

★ LNA (locked nucleic acid): high-affinity targeting of complementary RNA and DNA

★ LNA: a versatile tool for therapeutics and genomics

★ Alternative Nucleic Acid Analogues for Programmable Assembly: Hybridization of LNA to PNA