Patent ID: 6312953
Filing Date: 2001-11-06
Classification: C07H

Abstract:
A modified oligonucleotide which is complementary to a target sequence of nucleotides in duplex DNA, the oligonucleotide comprising:approximately 5 to 50 nucleotide units connected to one another by phosphate, phosphorothioate or phosphorodithioate linkages, each nucleotide unit comprising a heterocyclic base and a sugar moiety or an isosteric equivalent of a sugar attached to the heterocyclic base;at least two cross-linking agents covalently attached to the oligonucleotide, each cross-linking agent having the structure A--L, where L is an electrophilic leaving group and where A is a group covalently bonding the L group to the oligonucleotide, wherein the oligonucleotide hybridizes with the target sequence in the duplex DNA when the oligonucleotide contacts the duplex DNA, and after hybridization the A--L groups react with nucleophilic sites in both strands of the target sequence in the duplex DNA, whereby after hybridization the modified oligonucleotide becomes covalently linked to both strands of the target sequence.