Substitute siRNA with DNA or PNA

[bluegrass]

Hello everyone!

I have got a question: Let's suppose we have a working siRNA. What happens when we substitute the RNA by a corresponding DNA or PNA sequence?

I am new to the siRNA-field, but what I have read so far led me to assume that neither one of the substitutes could be processed by the DICER-complex. So in the end, a the corresponding DNA or PNA sequences would only work as anti-sense oligos, and most likely lose most of its effectiveness as compared to siRNA, right?

[Jon Moulton]

I agree. The mechanism of action of these oligos is entirely different, neither the DNA nor the PNA would activate argonaute-mediated nucleolytic activity. DNA would activate RNase-H for nucleolytic cleavage of target RNA, while the PNA is steric-blocking antisense.