Current Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 8, Issue 10, 2001

In boranophosphate-oligodeoxynucleosides (BH 3- -ODN) a borane group replaces one of the two non-bridging oxygen atoms in the phosphodiester backbone of the naturally occurring congener. The chemical and biophysical properties of BH 3 - -ODN are reviewed, as are their interactions with enzymes such as DNA polymerases, exo- and endonucleases, and ribonuclease H. Three approaches to synthesis of BH 3- -ODN are des Read More

Nucleic acids have been extensively modified by replacing the phosphodiester group or the whole sugar-phosphodiester backbone with alternative anionic, neutral and cationic structures. Several of these modified oligonucleotides exhibit improved properties including enhanced recognition and binding to RNA, duplex DNA and proteins. This has resulted in the development of new and more potent antisense and antigene agents, Read More

Ribozymes are catalytic RNAs that can cleave substrate RNAs in a sequence specific manner. Here we survey, in brief, the structure of hammerhead and hairpin ribozymes and discuss their applications as molecular antiviral molecules for HIV-1.

This review describes the application of a natural defense mechanism to develop effective agents for The post-transcriptional control of gene expression. 2-5A is a unique 2',5'-phosphodiester bond linked oligoadenylate, (pp)p5'A2'(p5'A)n , that is elaborated in virus-infected interferon-treated cells. The 2-5A System is an RNA degradation pathway that is an important mechanistic component of interferon's action agains Read More

This report emphasizes the interfacial chemistry that is required to ensure proper attachment of oligonucleotides onto the surface of microarrays. For example, strategies for the covalent attachment of pre-synthesized oligonucleotides to glass slides, gold films, polyacrylamide gel pads, polypyrrole films, and optical fibers are surveyed in an attempt to better define the parameters for optimal formation and detection of Read More