PNA, antisense, and antimicrobials

• Published in: Nature biotechnology Vol. 16; no. 4; p. 332
• Main Authors: Ecker, David J, Freier, Susan M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.04.1998
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Bacteria - drug effects; Bacteria - genetics; Gene Expression - drug effects; Nucleic Acids - pharmacology; Oligonucleotides, Antisense - pharmacology; Peptides - pharmacology
• ISSN: 1087-0156; 1546-1696
• DOI: 10.1038/nbt0498-332

A key objective for those interested in the discovery of new antimicrobial agents is the determination of the genes essential for survival of pathogenic organisms. Novel microbial genes and their function have been the focus of intense research over the past two decades, and the publication and analysis of an ever-increasing number of microbial genomes is testament to the power of modern sequencing techniques. Clearly, sequencing has advanced faster than our ability to analyze and understand gene function. To keep up, new techniques and tools are needed to enable high-throughput functional analysis. In this issue, Liam Good and Peter Nielsen demonstrate one such tool using antisense peptide nucleic acid (PNA) to specifically inhibit microbial gene function with potential use for target validation in bacteria.