Oligonucleotides

Oligonucleotides (from the Greek oligo 'few' ) are oligomers made up of a few nucleotides ( DNA or RNA ) (with the suffix -mer from the Greek meros 'part', 'area'). For example, if there are 25 nucleotide sequences (nt) one speaks of a 25-mer. The nucleotide sequence exists for many of the applications 15 to 30 nucleotide units (corresponding to a 15-mer to 30-mer).

Oligonucleotides are used as

• Primers for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
• Probes in Real Time Quantitative PCR
• Primers for DNA sequencing
• Primer for cDNA synthesis
• Primer for random priming
• Building blocks for vector design
• Building blocks for artificial gene synthesis
• Antisense oligonucleotides
• Oligonucleotide DNA fingerprinting
• Oligonucleotide probe
• Oligonucleotide chip
• Mutagenesis cassette or primer in oligonucleotide mediated mutagenesis ( English oligonucleotide mediated mutagenesis )
• Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA)

Aptamers (from Latin aptus ' to fit' ) are oligonucleotides that can bind a specific molecule via their 3D structure.

synthesis

The oligonucleotides are synthesized on a solid phase ( solid phase synthesis ) using the phosphoramidite method . During the synthesis there is the possibility of incorporating modifications such as fluorescent labels.

See also

• Polynucleotide

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Laborjournal: Targeted Mutagenesis, Part I ( Memento of March 16, 2009 in the Internet Archive ), Part II ( Memento of December 12, 2008 in the Internet Archive ), Part III ( Memento of March 18, 2009 in the Internet Archive ).