This is the first book to provide a comprehensive overview of the field of artificial nucleic acids. Covering a tremendous amount of literature on the chemistry, biology, and structure of artificial nucleic acids, it will constitute an invaluable source of information for the specialist and for young researchers interested in starting a career in this fascinating field of research alike. This book combines the contributions of many of the major players in this research field, and covers the synthesis of sugar-, base- and backbone-modified nucleic acids, their structural characteristics studied by X-ray crystallography, and NMR in solution as well as their chemical and biological properties.

The development of agents capable of cleaving RNA and DNA has attracted considerable attention from researchers in the last few years, because of the immediate and very important applications they can find in the emerging fields of biotechnology and pharmacology. There are essentially two classes of these agents - nucleases that occur naturally inside cells and synthetically produced artificial nucleases. The first class includes protein enzyme nucle ases and catalytic RNA structured ribozymes that perform cleavage of the phosphodiester bonds in nucleic acids according to a hydrolytic pathway in the course of different biochemical processes in the cell. A different pathway is used by some antibiotics which cleave DNA via redox-based mechanisms resulting in oxidative damage of nucleotide units and breakage of the DNA backbone. The above molecules are indispensable tools for manipulating nucleic acids and processing RNA; DNA-cleaving antibiotics and cytotoxic ribonucleases have demonstrated utility as chemotherapeutic agents. The second class, artificial nucleases, are rationally designed to imitate the active centers of natural enzymes by simple structures possessing minimal sets of the most important characteristics that are essential for catalysis. A dif ferent approach, in vitro selection, was also used to create artificial RNA and DNA enzymes capable of cleaving RNA. Being less efficient and specific as compared to the natural enzymes, the primitive mimics are smaller and robust and can function in a broad range of conditions.

Chemistry plays a very important role in the emerging field of synthetic biology. In particular, chemical synthetic biology is concerned with the synthesis of chemical structures, such as proteins, that do not exist in nature. With contributions from leading international experts, Chemical Synthetic Biology shows how chemistry underpins synthetic biology. The book is an essential guide to this fascinating new field, and will find a place on the bookshelves of researchers and students working in synthetic chemistry, synthetic and molecular biology, bioengineering, systems biology, computational genomics, and bioinformatics.

This book compiles recent research on the modification of nucleic acids. It covers backbone modifications and conjugation of lipids, peptides and proteins to oligonucleotides and their therapeutic use. Synthesis and application in biomedicine and nanotechnology of aptamers, fluorescent and xeno nucleic acids, DNA repair and artificial DNA are discussed as well.

This book spans diverse aspects of modified nucleic acids, from chemical synthesis and spectroscopy to in vivo applications, and highlights studies on chemical modifications of the backbone and nucleobases. Topics discussed include fluorescent pyrimidine and purine analogs, enzymatic approaches to the preparation of modified nucleic acids, emission and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy for studying nucleic acid structure and dynamics, non-covalent binding of low- and high-MW ligands to nucleic acids and the design of unnatural base pairs. This unique book addresses new developments and is designed for graduate level and professional research purposes.

With extensive coverage of synthesis techniques and applications, this text describes chemical biology techniques which have gained significant impetus during the last five years. It focuses on the methods for obtaining modified and native nucleic acids, and their biological applications. Topics covered include: chemical synthesis of modified RNA expansion of the genetic alphabet in nucleic acids by creating new base pairs chemical biology of DNA replication: probing DNA polymerase selectivity mechanisms with modified nucleotides nucleic-acid-templated chemistry chemical biology of peptide nucleic acids (PNA) the interactions of small molecules with DNA and RNA the architectural modules of folded RNAs genesis and biological applications of locked nucleic acid (LNA) small non-coding RNA in bacteria microRNA-guided gene silencing nucleic acids based therapies innate immune recognition of nucleic acid light-responsive nucleic acids for the spatiotemporal control of biological processes DNA methylation frameworks for programming RNA devices RNA as a catalyst: The Diels-Alderase-Ribozyme evolving an understanding of RNA function by in vitro approaches the chemical biology of aptamers: synthesis and applications nucleic acids as detection tools bacterial riboswitch discovery and analysis The Chemical Biology of Nucleic Acids is an essential compendium of the synthesis of nucleic acids and their biological applications for bioorganic chemists, chemical biologists, medicinal chemists, cell biologists, and molecular biologists.

Sequencing, cloning, transcription - these are but a few key techniques behind the current breathtaking advances in molecular biology and biochemistry. As these methods continuosly diversify, biochemists need a sound chemical understanding to keep the pace. Chemists beginning working in the molecular biology lab need an introduction to this field from their point of view. This book serves both: it describes most of the known chemical reactions of nucleosides, nucleotides, and nucleic acids in sufficient detail to provide the desired background, and additionally, the fundamental relations between sequence, structure and functionality of nucleic acids are presented. The first edition of this book, which was published in Russian, has immediately become a recognized standard reference. This second, thoroughly revised and updated edition, now published in English, is likely to achieve a similar position in the international scientific community.

Good methods must be reliable, well-tested, and honed to minimize the time and expense required to achieve the desired results. CPNC provides a continuously growing and evolving set of protocols that allows researchers to benefit from the experience of other researchers around the world. The core manual provides a comprehensive set of protocols that have been compiled, revised, and streamlined over the last 6 years. Quarterly updates provide new protocols in emerging areas of research as well as continued advances and new applications for fundamental methods. The book is designed to grow and change with the field of nucleic acid chemistry. Fundamental nucleoside chemistry methods include sugar-base condensation, phosphorylation, and nucleoside protection. Methods for oligonucleotide synthesis include H-phosphonate and phosphoramidite approaches, solid-phase and solution-phase synthesis, large-scale synthesis, synthesis for modified and unmodified oligonucleotides, conjugation of oligonucleotides, synthesis without base protection, and synthesis on microarrays. More specialized synthetic methods include synthesis of biologically active nucleosides and prodrugs. Purification and characterization methods are detailed. Advanced methods include biophysical analysis, combinatorial methods, and nanotechnology. Each protocol includes rationale for choosing appropriate methods, step-by-step procedures, complete recipes, anticipated results, characterization data, and troubleshooting, as well as background and recommended reading. The level of procedural detail is far beyond that found in the research literature, and tips and comments from authors are geared towards ensuring reliable duplication in the laboratory.

Nature has long used nucleic acid aptamers and enzymes for regulatory activities, such as the recently discovered “riboswitches” involved in gene expression. The existence of a large array of natural and artificial functional nucleic acids has generated tremendous enthusiasm and new opportunities for molecular scientists from diverse disciplines to devise new concepts and real applications that take advantage of those nucleic acids for sensing and other analytical applications. This book provides a timely and comprehensive overview of recent advances in the field, from leading experts in biology, chemistry, and engineering. A variety of topics are covered, from fundamentals of functional nucleic acids, to their applications as sensors, to nanotechnologies; as well as integration of functional nucleic acids into practical analytical systems.