Patent ID: 8034563

Claim:
A process for covalently linking a molecule X-A to a molecule B-Y to give a detectable product molecule X-A-B-Y, wherein all of the bonds between X, A, B, and Y in said product molecule are covalent and moieties A and B do not react with each other spontaneously under the conditions of the process, wherein A is a moiety that upon irradiation with light forms a moiety A* that is not electronically excited, wherein said process comprises (i) contacting X-A and B-Y in a solution comprising solvent S with a preselected nucleic acid molecule N under conditions where X-A and B-Y bind to adjacent segments of N, wherein said binding brings moieties A and B into proximity, (ii) irradiating said solution with light having a wavelength that converts A into A* and (iii) the reaction of said A* with moiety B to form a covalent bond between at least one atom in A and at least one atom in B, wherein A is selected from the group consisting of a photoenolizable ketone, a cyclic lactone, a phosphoramidite, and an azide.