Morpholino Antisense Library Available

A library of morpholino antisense nucleotides is now commercially available for researchers working with the popular zebrafish development model.

Morpholino oligonucleotides are nonionic DNA analogs that were developed by Gene Tools, LLC (Philomath, OR, USA; www.gene-tools.com). They possess altered backbone linkages compared with DNA or RNA. In spite of their altered backbone, morpholinos bind to complementary nucleic acid sequences by Watson-Crick base-pairing. This binding is no tighter than binding of analogous DNA and RNA oligomers, necessitating the use of relatively long 25-base morpholinos for antisense gene inhibition. The backbone makes morpholinos resistant to digestion by nucleases. Also, because the backbone lacks negative charge, it is thought that morpholinos are less likely to interact nonselectively with cellular proteins. Such interactions often obscure the observation of informative phenotypes.

Morpholinos employ a steric block mechanism (RNAse H-independent) and with their high mRNA binding affinity and specificity, they yield reliable and predictable results. They either can block the translation initiation complex (by targeting the 5' untranslated region through the first 25 bases of coding sequence) or they can block the nuclear splicing machinery (by targeting splice junctions in pre-mRNA). Microinjection or electroporation of morpholino oligos into zebrafish embryos specifically shuts down the expression of targeted genes.

Gene Tools' Expression Arrest Zebrafish Morpholino Library is available to the research community through an exclusive marketing arrangement with Open Biosystems (Huntsville, AL, USA).

Dr. Paul Morcos, director of biology at Gene Tools, said, "The excitement in the gene knockdown field is reaching new heights and this partnership lowers the barrier to entry by enabling laboratories to expand their screening efforts. Morpholinos are the most reliable gene knockdown technology on the market and now the most affordable.”

Gene Tools, LLC >> www.gene-tools.com
Open Biosystems >> www.openbiosystems.com