Synthesis of chemically modified DNA.
Naturally occurring DNA is encoded by the four nucleobases adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine. Yet minor chemical modifications to these bases, such as methylation, can significantly alter DNA function, and more drastic changes, such as replacement with unnatural base pairs, could expand its function. In order to realize the full potential of DNA in therapeutic and synthetic biology applications, our ability to 'write' long modified DNA in a controlled manner must be improved. This review highlights methods currently used for the synthesis of moderately long chemically modified nucleic acids (up to 1000 bp), their limitations and areas for future expansion.
Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA, U.K.
Arun
A
Shivalingam
Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA, U.K. tom.brown@chem.ox.ac.uk.
Tom
T
Brown
D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D003596:Cytosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D011088:DNA Ligases / Q000378:metabolism; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013941:Thymine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D009841:Oligonucleotides; D006147:Guanine; D003596:Cytosine; D004247:DNA; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D011088:DNA Ligases; D000225:Adenine; D013941:Thymine
chemical ligation; modified triphosphates; oligonucleotide synthesis