Here we describe the synthesis of new 7-substituted 8-aza-7-deazaadenosine ribonucleoside phosphoramidites and their use in generating major groove-modified duplex RNAs. A 7-ethynyl analog leads to further structural diversification of the RNA via post-automated RNA synthesis azide/alkyne cycloaddition reactions. In addition, we report preliminary studies on the effects of eight different purine 7-position modifications on RNA duplex stability and pairing specificity. Finally, the effect on RNAi activty of this type of modification at eight different positions in an siRNA guide strand has been explored. Analogs were identified with large 7-position substituents that maintain adenosine pairing specificity and are well-tolerated at specific positions in an siRNA guide strand.

The last several years have seen numerous reports of new chemical modifications for use in RNA. In addition, in that time period, we have seen the discovery of several previously unknown naturally occurring modifications that impart novel properties on the parent RNAs. In this review, we describe recent discoveries in these areas with a focus on RNA modifications that introduce spectroscopic tags, reactive handles, or new recognition properties.

The focus of this study was on the bastadin class of bromotyrosine derivatives, commonly isolated from Ianthella marine sponges, and is the first report on the secondary metabolites from Ianthella cf. reticulata. Two new bastadins were isolated, (E,Z)-bastadin 19 (1b), a diastereoisomer of the known (E,E)-bastadin 19 (1a), and dioxepine bastadin 3 (2), an unusual dibenzo-1,3-dioxepine. A bastadin NMR database was created and assisted in the structure determination of 1b, 2 and the rapid dereplication of ten other known compounds including bastadins 2–9 (3-10), 13 (11) and 19 (1a). The geometry of the 2-(hydroxyimino)-N-alkylamide chains, a chemical feature present in all bastadins, was further probed and new insights regarding the natural oxime configuration are discussed. Bastadins possessing (E,Z), (Z,E) or (E,E)-dioxime configurations could be artifacts of isolation or storage in solution. Therefore, this point was explored by photochemical and thermal isomerization studies, as well as molecular mechanics calculations. Bastadins 13 (11) and 19 (1a) exhibited moderate inhibition against Trypanosoma brucei and bastadin 4 (5) was cytotoxic to HCT-116 colon cancer cells.