Nucleic acid binding enhancement by conjugation with nucleotides, nucleosides, bases and/or their analogues
First Claim
1. In a method of forming a complex between a probe containing probe nucleobases and a target containing target nucleobases, comprising mixing said probe and said target under hybridizing conditions, the improvement wherein at least one blocking agent comprising at least one nucleobase is conjugated to said probe and not to said target prior to hybridizing said probe with said target, wherein said conjugation enhances an avidity and/or a specificity of said hybridizing by hindering said probe and/or said target from existing in a conformation antithetical to said hybridization.
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Abstract
An improved method of forming a specific complex between a probe containing probe nucleobases and a target containing target nucleobases, includes mixing the probe and the target under hybridizing conditions, wherein the probe and/or the target is conjugated to a blocking agent, which enhances the avidity and/or specificity of hybridization, whether by Watson-Crick motif or by homologous binding motif. The blocking agent contains at least one nucleobase and can be, e.g., a free nucleobase, a nucleoside or a nucleotide.
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Citations
46 Claims
- 1. In a method of forming a complex between a probe containing probe nucleobases and a target containing target nucleobases, comprising mixing said probe and said target under hybridizing conditions, the improvement wherein at least one blocking agent comprising at least one nucleobase is conjugated to said probe and not to said target prior to hybridizing said probe with said target, wherein said conjugation enhances an avidity and/or a specificity of said hybridizing by hindering said probe and/or said target from existing in a conformation antithetical to said hybridization.
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4. In a method of forming a complex between a probe containg probe nucleobases and a target containing target nucleobases, comprising mixing said probe and said target under hybridizing conditions, the improvement wherein at least one blocking agent comprising up to two nucleobases is conjugated to said probe and not to said target prior to hybridizing said probe with said target, wherein said conjugation enhances an avidity and/or a specificity of said hybridizing.
- 5. In a method of forming a complex between a probe containing probe nucleobases and a target containing target nucleobases, comprising mixing said probe and said target under hybridizing conditions, the improvement wherein at least one blocking agent comprising at least one nucleobase is conjugated to said probe and/or said target prior to hybridizing said probe with said target, wherein said at least one nucleobase is the only nucleobase contained in said at least one blocking agent, and said conjugation enhances an avidity and/or a specificity of said hybridizing.
Specification