Targeting Essential Genes in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium with Antisense Peptide Nucleic Acid

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe investigated the capability of antisense peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) conjugated to the (KFF)3K cell-penetrating peptide to target possible essential genes (ligA,rpoA,rpoD,engA,tsf, andkdtA) inSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium and inhibit bacterial growthin vitro and in cell culture. All targeted PNA-based gene inhibition has shown great potency in gene expression inhibition in a sequence-specific and dose-dependent manner at micromolar concentrations. Among tested PNAs, the anti-rpoAand -rpoDPNAs showed the greatest potency.