key: cord-0869590-3ylm88ab authors: Seley-Radtke, Katherine title: Discovery, Design, Synthesis, and Application of Nucleoside/Nucleotides date: 2020-03-27 journal: Molecules DOI: 10.3390/molecules25071526 sha: ab090d01d7ad08b58ba7cc6559584a64d6b7050b doc_id: 869590 cord_uid: 3ylm88ab For decades, nucleosides and nucleotides have formed the cornerstone of antiviral, antiparasitic and anticancer therapeutics and have been used as tools in exploring nucleic acid structure and function [...]. studies. These highly unique bispecific aptamers can potentially serve as a novel strategy for the targeted enhancement of antitumor immune reactions against MUC1-expressing malignancies. [14] Several other papers in this Special Issue described new RNA structural studies, including one from the Xu et al., which is focused on an investigation of nucleoside stabilizers for Z-form RNA. [15] Another excellent paper from Prof. Maria Camarasa's group describes their efforts towards the design, synthesis and X-ray crystallographic studies of a series of compounds targeting the foot and mouth disease (FMDV) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. [16] Their results may prove useful in the design of new antivirals against not only FMDV but also other picornaviruses, since all members of this family require uridylylation to initiate the viral RNA synthesis. Another structure study focused on solving issues by studying structure and function with NMR spectroscopy. Nucleic acid structure and dynamic studies by NMR spectroscopy suffer from chemical shift overlap and line broadening, both of which become worse as RNA size increases. In their paper, the Dayie group described the solid phase synthesis of a stable isotope labeled RNA to help elucidate the structure and function using NMR spectroscopy. [17] Finally, Zhou et al. published a report on using sequencing-based molecular markers and to study the Betula alnoides, a special type of birch tree found in many parts of Asia. [18] In summary, an excellent series of papers covering a broad variety of topics were brought together in this Special Issue that focused on the design, synthesis and various applications for nucleoside, nucleotide and nucleic acid analogues. It is our hope that these will provide important information for others working on related projects, and provide the foundation and impetus for future studies. The evolution of nucleoside analogue antivirals: A review for chemists and non-chemists. Part 1: Early structural modifications to the nucleoside scaffold The evolution of antiviral nucleoside analogues: A review for chemists and non-chemists. Part II: Complex modifications to the nucleoside scaffold Muraymycin Nucleoside Antibiotics: Structure-Activity Relationship for Variations in the Nucleoside Unit Design, synthesis and evaluation of a series of acyclic fleximer nucleoside analogues with anti-coronavirus activity Flex-nucleoside analogues-Novel therapeutics against filoviruses Probing the Effects of Pyrimidine Functional Group Switches on Acyclic Fleximer Analogues for Antiviral Activity Investigation of 5'-Norcarbocyclic Nucleoside Analogues as Antiprotozoal and Antibacterial Agents Novel 5'-Norcarbocyclic Derivatives of Bicyclic Pyrrolo-and Furano Synthesis of Cyclobutane Analogue 4: Preparation of Purine and Pyrimidine Carbocyclic Nucleoside Derivatives New HSV-1 Anti-Viral 1 -Homocarbocyclic Nucleoside Analogs with an Optically Active Substituted Bicyclo[2.2.1]Heptane Fragment as a Glycoside Moiety An Expeditious Total Synthesis of 5 -Deoxy-toyocamycin and 5 -Deoxysangivamycin Efficient Synthesis of UDP-Furanoses via 4,5-Dicyanoimidazole(DCI)-Promoted Coupling of Furanosyl-1-Phosphates with Uridine Phosphoropiperidate Impact of the Position of the Chemically Modified 5-Furyl-2 -Deoxyuridine Nucleoside on the Thrombin DNA Aptamer-Protein Complex: Structural Insights into Aptamer Response from MD Simulations Novel Bispecific Aptamer Enhances Immune Cytotoxicity Against MUC1-Positive Tumor Cells by MUC1-CD16 Dual Targeting 2 -O-Methyl-8-methylguanosine as a Z-Form RNA Stabilizer for Structural and Functional Study of Z-RNA F)uridylylated Peptides Linked to VPg1 of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV): Design, Synthesis and X-Ray Crystallography of the Complexes with FMDV RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Solid-Phase Chemical Synthesis of Stable Isotope-Labeled RNA to Aid Structure and Dynamics Studies by NMR Spectroscopy Next Generation Sequencing-Based Molecular Marker Development: A Case Study in Betula Alnoides The guest editor wishes to thank all of the authors for their excellent contributions for this Special Issue, as well as all of the reviewers for their efforts in evaluating the submitted articles, as well as the editorial staff of Molecules, specifically Lena Liang, for their excellent help in making this Special Issue. The author declares no conflicts of interest.