COVALENT ATTACHMENT OF METHYLENE-BLUE TO OLIGONUCLEOTIDES

The synthesis and application of oligonucleotides derivatized by methy lene blue are described. For that, a carboxylated methylene blue deriv ative was synthesized and transformed into an activated N-hydroxysucci nimidoester. The activated ester was reacted with 5'-aminoalkylated ol igonucleotides. The labelled oligonucleotides were isolated and charac terized both by reversed phase HPLC and MALDI mass spectrometry. Initi al studies on analytical application of these oligonucleotide conjugat es are discussed.