Jason Micklefield Pages 1157 - 1179 ( 23 )
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, as well as aptamers. Furthermore, backbone modified oligonucleotides have also been used in the development of several alternative strategies, which rely on altogether different mechanisms of action and show significant promise for therapeutic intervention. In this review the latest advances in the synthesis and evaluation of the most promising backbone modified oligos will be discussed, with a view to their future as novel pharmaceuticals.
Nucleic Acids Synthesis,potent antisense,antigene agents,aptamers,Therapeutic Targets,Phosphoramidate Modification,Boranophosphate Oligos,Methylphosophonates,Deoxyribonucleic Guanidine (DNG) Oligos,Morpholino Oligos
Department of Chemistry,University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, FaradayBuilding, Sackville Street, PO Box 88, Manchester, M60 1QD, UK