OLIGONUCLEOTIDES HAVING COVALENTLY-LINKED ANTHRACENE AT SPECIFIC SUGAR RESIDUE - DIFFERENTIAL BINDING TO DNA AND RNA AND FLUORESCENCE PROPERTIES

Oligonucleotide 15 -mers containing 2-anthracenylmethyl groups at spec ific sugar residues have been synthesized from the 2'-anthracene-modif ied uridine. The modified oligonucleotides bind to both the complement ary DNA and RNA segments. The induced CD at around 375 nm due to the a nthracene chromophore was seen only for the anthracene-modified duplex es with DNA but not for those with RNA, which is in good agreement wit h the modification-induced stability of the duplexes. The oligonucleot ide with anthracene at the specified sugar residue exhibits enhanced f luorescence upon binding to the complementary RNA segment.