Synthesis and properties of oligonucleotides that contain a triazole-linked nucleic acid dimer

摘要

New chemically modified oligonucleotides at the site of the backbone are needed to improve the properties of oligonucleotides. A practical synthesis for a triazole-linked nucleoside dimer based on a PNA-like structure has been developed. This involves synthesizing two uracil-based monomers that contain either an azide or an alkyne functionality, followed by copper-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. This dimer was incorporated within an oligonucleotide via phosphoramidite chemistry and UV-monitored thermal denaturation data illustrates slight destabilization relative to its target complementary sequence. This chemically modified dimer will allow for a future investigation of its properties within DNA and RNA-based applications.