Further Studies On Nucleopeptides With DABA-based Backbone Roviello G. N. 1 *, Musumeci D. 2 *, Bucci E. M. 3 , Castiglione M. 1 , Pedone C. 1 , Benedetti E. 4 , Sapio R. 3 and Valente M. 3 1 Ist. di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini-CNR, via Mezzocannone 16, I-80134 Napoli; 2 Bionucleon srl, via D. Montesano 49, I-80131 Napoli; 3 Bionucleon srl, via Ribes 5, Colleretto Giacosa, I-10010 (TO); 4 Dip. Scienze Biologiche, Università Federico II, via Mezzocannone 16, I-80134 Napoli. *these authors contributed equally to this work correspondence to dmusumeci@bionucleon.com In continuing our studies on new ODN-like molecules suitable for a wide variety of biomedical and bioengineering applications, here we report further studies relative to a chiral nucleopeptide with a diaminobutyric acid (DABA) backbone. In particular, in this work we describe the synthesis of the nucleoaminoacid monomer with the D stereochemistry, performed in analogy to our previous reports on the L-DABA derivative, and the oligomerization using both enantiomers to form an alternate D,L-nucleopeptide. This oligomer was studied for its ability to bind complementary DNA by CD and UV spectroscopies. Furthermore, the new nucleopeptide showed binding evidence with a free nucleobase probably forming a three-dimensional network based on hydrogen bonding. This kind of structures is of particular interest for the development of new nanomaterials with many desirable properties as well as of new ODN-analogues for biotechnological applications. In memory of Dr Silvano Fumero, an eminent scientist. 1. Introduction Polymer gels, typically formed by molecular or macromolecular species cross-linked into network structures, have been intensively studied due to their interesting properties suitable for a wide variety of biomedical and bioengineering applications, including selective drug/gene delivery or sensing devices. Of particular interest are gels stabilized by noncovalent and relatively weak linkages allowing the cross-links to form in reversible fashion (Shay et al. 2001) and that respond to changes in the environment, such as temperature, pH or other external stimuli (Sato et al. 2001). By taking advantage of the base recognition in nucleic acids, based on Watson-Crick (W-C)