Patent ID: 6942972

Claim:
A method for producing an oligonucleotide-protein conjugate, wherein said method comprises the steps: (A) contacting an oligonucleotide having an amino group with a heterofunctional linker, wherein said linker has a first group reactive with said amino group and a second group reactive with a thiol group, said contacting being under conditions sufficient to permit said first group of said heterofunctional linker to become bonded to said amino group of said oligonucleotide, thereby forming an oligonucleotide-heterofunctional linker conjugate; and (B) contacting said oligonucleotide-heterofunctional linker conjugate (A) with a protein having a thiolated group reactive with said second group of said heterofunctional linker; wherein said thiolated group is formed by thiolation of an amino group of said protein; said contacting being under conditions sufficient to permit said thiolated group of said protein to become bonded to said second group of said heterofunctional linker of said oligonucleotide-heterofunctional linker conjugate, to thereby form said oligonucleotide-protein conjugate.