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Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Estimation of Telomeric Repeat-containing RNA from DNA/RNA Hybrid Complexes
Published on: December 5, 2025
PNA binding to the non-template DNA strand interferes with transcription, suggesting a blockage mechanism mediated by
Boris P Belotserkovskii1, Philip C Hanawalt1
1Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
Abstract:
Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNAs) are artificial DNA mimics with superior nucleic acid binding capabilities. T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) transcription upon encountering PNA bound to the non-template DNA strand was studied in vitro. A characteristic pattern of blockage signals was observed, extending downstream from the PNA binding site, similar to that produced by G-rich homopurine-homopyrimidine (hPu-hPy) sequences and likely caused by R-loop formation. Since blocked transcription complexes in association with stable R-loops may interfere with replication and in some cases trigger apoptosis, targeted R-loop formation might be employed to inactivate selected cells, such as those in tumors, based upon their unique complement of expressed genes.
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