Phosphate-Methylated Oligonucleotides Past, Present and Future

Abstract

At the moment, we see a great interest for application of Anti Sense Oligonucleotides (ASOs) in order to regulate the expression of genes related to certain diseases. These nucleotides obtained a number of fascinating properties by means of chemical manipulation of natural DNA and RNA under conservation of Watson-Crick base-pairing. About 35 years ago for our research in this field, we selected synthetically (short) phosphate-methylated DNA and RNA. It was concluded that there is an exclusive selection in hybridization affinity with natural DNA and RNA. These (bio)chemical and physical-chemical properties are extensively published. ASOs have found their way in public health as is clearly shown in the treatment of (progressive) neurological diseases. We focus specifically on the past, present and future of the phosphate-methylated oligonucleotides, illustrated with different research studies in chemistry and biophysics. A new field of application of modified DNAs is based on interactive improvements of sensitivity and specificity of nanowire field effect transistor gene chip by designing phosphate-methylated DNA as probe.