SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF NOVEL OL IGONUCLEOTIDE DERIVATIVES CONTAINING REACTIVE UREIDO GROUPS

The 1-ethyl-3-(3'-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC)-induced modif ication of the carboxyl group in a synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide was studied. Treatment of a carboxyl-containing oligonucleotide with E DC in water or aqueous buffer solutions leads to the rapid formation ( with a 80 - 90% yield) of the corresponding ureido derivative, which c an easily be isolated by PAGE. These derivatives are stable in neutral and weakly acid aqueous solutions, whereas under weakly basic conditi ons they efficiently (50 - 90%) acylate amino groups. Reagents of this type can be used for affinity modification of enzymes and other prote ins and for preparing conjugates of oligonucleotides with other compou nds.