Light-activated Photocaging Oligonucleotide

Yes. Photolabile deoxynucleotides, also called caged deoxynucleotides, can be incorporated at any position within an oligonucleotide. A popular photoactive nucleic acid base is the photolabile 6-nitropiperonyloxymethyl (NPOM) group. NPOM covalently connected at N3 of thymidine inhibits base-pairing and prevents hybridization. The removal of NPOM is achieved within seconds by irradiation with UV light at 365 or 406 nm. This modified base allows activation of a biologically active molecule at specific locations and quantitatively renders it inactive. Irradiation with UV light removes the protecting group and restores the biological properties of the compound. The molecule is now 'uncaged.'

Application for oligonucleotides modified with caged molecules are:

• Light regulated PCR.
• Regulation of gene expression using antisense oligonulcleotides.
• Site directed mutagenesis in plasmid DNA.

The NPOM-caging group technology was invented in the Deiters Lab at North Carolina State University.