Selective growth inhibition of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans by antisense peptide nucleic acids.

Peptide nucleic acids (PNA) are DNA/RNA analogs in which the sugar-phosphate backbone is replaced by N-2-aminoethylglycine. PNA are widely used for experimental antisense therapy due to their strong affinity to mRNA. By targeting specific genes, protein synthesis and the growth of bacteria or cancer cells can be inhibited by PNA.