Probing structure and function with alternative nucleic acids bearing 2′,5′-linked, zwitterionic, and isocytosine•isoguanine components

The incorporation of alternative functional components into nucleic acids can provide insight into what molecular features are necessary for an informational macromolecule to be successful. It can also provide a means to improve particular physical characteristics of nucleic acids for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, or probe mechanisms. By testing the fitness of nucleic acid-like molecules derived by structural permutations of RNA, it may also prove possible to trace a path from simple prebiotic precursors to biotic molecules. This article describes the applications of 2',5'-phosphodiester linked, zwitterionic, and base-permuted nucleic acid derivatives. (C) 2001 Academic Press.