title: Replacing the nucleobases in DNA with designer molecules.
abstract: DNA is not only a carrier of genetic information, but it is also a versatile supramolecular scaffold, arranging smaller organic structures into predesigned geometries. Herein are discussed molecular strategies in which the natural DNA bases on the sugar-phosphate backbone are replaced by other molecules. Some of the base replacements under study include fluorophores, ligands for metals, helix stabilizers, and DNA base shape mimics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA. kool@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Eric T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Kool
mesh_terms: D032701:Biomimetics; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D008024:Ligands; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009705:Nucleosides / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D009705:Nucleosides; D004247:DNA