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Metal Chelating Oligonucleotides

Custom metal-chelating oligonucleotides for molecular imaging, lanthanide fluorescence, radiometal labeling, biosensing and affinity-capture applications.

DOTA • NOTA • DTPA EDTA • NTA Lanthanides • Radiometals Bipyridine • Terpyridine • Phenanthroline HPLC • LC-MS • Metal Loading

What Are Metal-Chelating Oligonucleotides?

Metal-chelating oligonucleotides are DNA or RNA molecules modified with a chelator or metal-binding ligand capable of coordinating metal ions such as lanthanides, transition metals, radiometals, or MRI contrast metals. By combining nucleic acid sequence recognition with metal-binding chemistry, researchers can create probes for molecular imaging, biosensing, affinity capture, and metal-mediated nucleic acid assembly.

Bio-Synthesis supports both traditional chelator conjugates, including DOTA, NOTA, DTPA, EDTA and NTA, and metal-ligand oligonucleotides, including bipyridine, terpyridine and phenanthroline derivatives. Services include custom DNA/RNA synthesis, chelator conjugation, purification, analytical QC, optional metal-loading checks and RUO → GMP-like documentation.

Bio-Synthesis supports custom DOTA oligonucleotide, NOTA oligonucleotide, DTPA oligonucleotide, lanthanide oligonucleotide, radiometal-labeled oligonucleotide, NTA oligonucleotide conjugate, metal-chelating DNA, and metal-chelating RNA synthesis projects for imaging, sensing, affinity capture and molecular assembly applications.

CHEMISTRIES

DOTA • NOTA • DTPA • NTA

M
METALS

Lanthanides • Radiometals • Ni²⁺

FORMATS

DNA • RNA • Conjugates

QC

HPLC/UPLC • LC-MS

DOTA-Oligo: One Chelator, Multiple Metal Readouts

DOTA-labeled DNA/RNA oligo
Nd³⁺
DOTA-Nd³⁺

Near-infrared and lanthanide imaging research.

Sm³⁺
DOTA-Sm³⁺

Radiometal and therapeutic research workflows.

Eu³⁺
DOTA-Eu³⁺

Time-resolved fluorescence and low-background assays.

Tb³⁺
DOTA-Tb³⁺

TR-FRET, biosensing and lanthanide detection systems.

Why Add a Metal to an Oligonucleotide?

Metal chelation adds a functional readout or binding mode to sequence-specific oligonucleotides.

PET

Imaging & Radiolabeling

DOTA, NOTA and DTPA conjugates support radiometal labeling for PET, SPECT and molecular imaging research.

Ln

Lanthanide Fluorescence

Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ complexes support time-resolved fluorescence, TR-FRET and low-background detection workflows.

MRI

MRI Contrast Research

DOTA-Gd and DTPA-Gd systems are widely used in MRI contrast-agent research and imaging-probe development.

NTA

Affinity Capture

NTA-modified oligos can coordinate Ni²⁺ for His-tag protein capture, immobilization and biosensor workflows.

Bio

Biosensors & Diagnostics

Metal coordination can support optical, electrochemical, catalytic or FRET-based detection signals.

3D

Nanostructure Assembly

Bipyridine and terpyridine ligands enable metal-mediated nucleic acid architectures and coordination-driven assembly.

Chelator Selection Guide

Start with the metal and application, then choose the chelator platform that provides the right stability, kinetics and compatibility.

Choose by Metal, Stability and Application

DOTA and NOTA are common macrocyclic options; DTPA and EDTA are acyclic chelators; NTA is used for Ni²⁺-His-tag capture.

Chelator selection guide for oligonucleotide conjugation.

Chelator Best Known For Common Metals Typical Applications Notes
DOTA High stability macrocyclic chelator Lu, Y, In, Gd, Cu, Sm, Nd PET/SPECT research, MRI research, radiometal probes Strong retention; slower complexation than some acyclic chelators
NOTA Compact macrocycle for fast complexation Ga, Cu Ga-68 and Cu isotope PET research Often selected when Ga labeling efficiency matters
DTPA Acyclic chelator with fast metal binding Gd, In, lanthanides MRI research, SPECT, lanthanide tagging Useful when fast complexation is preferred
EDTA General metal coordination and chemical nuclease studies Fe, Cu, other transition metals Metal scavenging, footprinting, cleavage probes Common research chelator; less selective than macrocycles
NTA Ni²⁺-mediated His-tag binding Ni²⁺, Co²⁺ His-tag capture, immobilization, biosensors Can be released with imidazole or EDTA depending on assay

Which Metal Are You Interested In?

This metal-first view helps clarify whether the project is radiometal labeling, lanthanide fluorescence, MRI research or affinity capture.

Metal-to-Application Map

Actual metal loading and labeling conditions depend on chelator, linker, buffer, temperature, purity and application requirements.

Metal selection guide for chelator-modified oligonucleotides.

Metal Typical Use Common Chelator Application Area
Gd³⁺ MRI contrast research DOTA, DTPA MRI probe development
Ga-68 PET imaging research NOTA, DOTA Radiotracer development
Cu-64 PET imaging research NOTA, DOTA Radiolabeled aptamers and probes
In-111 SPECT imaging research DTPA, DOTA SPECT tracer development
Lu-177 Radiotherapeutic research DOTA Theranostic and radiometal programs
Eu³⁺ Time-resolved fluorescence DOTA, DTPA, lanthanide chelators Low-background assays
Tb³⁺ TR-FRET and biosensing DOTA, DTPA, lanthanide chelators FRET and detection workflows
Sm³⁺ / Nd³⁺ Lanthanide and radiometal research DOTA, DTPA Imaging and specialty detection research
Ni²⁺ His-tag capture NTA Protein capture and immobilization

Radiometals

Ga-68, Cu-64, In-111 and Lu-177 are commonly associated with PET, SPECT and radiopharmaceutical research.

  • Requires radiolabeling conditions
  • Chelator stability is critical
  • Use appropriate institutional controls

Lanthanides

Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺, Nd³⁺ and Sm³⁺ can support luminescence, TR-FRET, NIR or specialty imaging/detection research.

  • Useful for low-background assays
  • Long-lifetime fluorescence options
  • Often needs spectral validation

Metal Chelator & Ligand Oligo Formats

This keeps the live-site product table and organizes supported chelator and metal-ligand oligo formats by function and ordering code.

Product Formats We Support

5′, 3′ and internal conjugation options can be configured using amino, azide, alkyne or spacer handles depending on the chemistry.

Representative metal-chelating and metal-ligand oligonucleotide products.

Product Description Function Code
DOTA-Oligo Macrocyclic chelator for strong Cu²⁺/Ga³⁺/Gd³⁺ coordination; useful for PET/MRI labeling and stable metal retention. Radiometal / MRI [DOTA]
NOTA-Oligo Compact macrocycle optimized for Ga³⁺; fast complexation and high in vivo stability. PET / Radiometal [NOTA]
DTPA-Oligo Acyclic chelator for In³⁺/Gd³⁺; widely used in SPECT/MRI and lanthanide tagging. SPECT / MRI [DTPA]
EDTA-Oligo General metal-binding chelator for transition-metal coordination, chemical nuclease and scavenging studies. Metal coordination [EDTA]
NTA-Oligo Nitrilotriacetic acid oligo conjugate for Ni²⁺-mediated His-tag capture and immobilization. Affinity capture [NTA]
Bipyridine-Oligo Metal-ligand base analog for coordination-driven duplex stabilization and assembly. Metal-mediated assembly [Bipy]
Terpyridine-Oligo Tridentate ligand system for coordination-driven nanostructures and metal-mediated cleavage studies. Assembly / cleavage [Tpy]
Phenanthroline-Oligo Metal-binding aromatic ligand used in cleavage, electron-transfer and chemical nuclease research. Chemical nuclease / ET [Phen]

Applications for Metal-Chelating Oligonucleotides

Metal-chelating oligos are useful when a sequence-specific probe needs a radiometal, lanthanide, capture metal, contrast metal or coordination-driven assembly function.

PET

PET Imaging Research

DOTA and NOTA oligos for radiometal-labeling workflows and imaging-probe development.

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SPECT

SPECT Imaging Research

DTPA and DOTA conjugates for In-labeled or other SPECT-oriented oligo probe designs.

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MRI

MRI Contrast Research

DOTA-Gd and DTPA-Gd style oligo conjugates for MRI contrast-agent research.

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TR

TR-FRET & Lanthanide Assays

Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ chelates for time-resolved fluorescence, TR-FRET and low-background detection.

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His

His-tag Capture

Ni²⁺-NTA oligonucleotides for His-tag protein capture, immobilization and biosensor systems.

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Bio

Biosensors & Diagnostics

Metal coordination can provide optical, electrochemical or catalytic detection signals for assay development.

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3D

Metal-Mediated Assembly

Bipyridine and terpyridine oligos support metal-directed nucleic acid architectures and proximity-driven effects.

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BioC

Custom Bioconjugation

Chelator oligos can be combined with dyes, peptides, proteins, affinity ligands and other functional groups.

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Design, Purification and Metal-Loading Considerations

Chelator performance depends on metal compatibility, spacer design, purification, buffer conditions and verification strategy.

M

Chelator–Metal Compatibility

Match the chelator to the intended metal, isotope, stability requirement and labeling conditions.

PEG

Spacer Design

TEG, PEG and hexa-EG spacers can reduce steric effects between the oligo, chelator and target.

LC

Metal Loading Verification

Projects may include LC-MS, UV quantitation, loading-condition documentation or method-specific verification.

HPLC

Purification Strategy

HPLC, UPLC, PAGE or desalting can be selected based on sequence, chelator hydrophobicity and downstream assay needs.

STB

Complex Stability

Buffer, pH, competing ions, temperature and storage conditions can affect metal retention and complex stability.

DOC

Scale-Up Support

Bio-Synthesis supports phase-appropriate RUO to GMP-like documentation, CoA, method summaries and tech transfer planning.

FAQ

What is a metal-chelating oligonucleotide?
 A metal-chelating oligonucleotide is a DNA or RNA molecule modified with a chelator or metal-binding ligand that coordinates metal ions for imaging, detection, capture, biosensing or metal-mediated assembly.
What is the difference between DOTA and NOTA?
 DOTA is a versatile macrocyclic chelator used with multiple radiometals, lanthanides and Gd³⁺. NOTA is a compact macrocycle often selected for Ga³⁺ and Cu isotope labeling workflows.
Which chelator is best for Ga-68?
 NOTA is often preferred for Ga-68 because of its compact macrocycle and fast complexation behavior, although DOTA may also be used depending on application and labeling conditions.
Which chelator is commonly used for MRI probe research?
 DOTA-Gd and DTPA-Gd systems are widely used in MRI contrast-agent research. Chelator choice depends on stability, relaxation behavior, spacing and formulation.
Can Bio-Synthesis provide metal loading verification?
 Yes. Depending on project needs, Bio-Synthesis can provide HPLC/UPLC purification, LC-MS confirmation, UV quantitation and metal-loading or chelation-condition documentation.
What is an NTA oligonucleotide?
 An NTA oligonucleotide contains nitrilotriacetic acid, which can coordinate Ni²⁺ for His-tag protein capture, immobilization and biosensor workflows.
What are bipyridine and terpyridine oligonucleotides?
 They are oligonucleotides modified with metal-binding ligands that can coordinate transition metals for metal-mediated duplex stabilization, assembly, cleavage or nanostructure design.
What information should I provide for a quote?
 Provide the sequence, desired chelator or metal ligand, metal or isotope of interest, placement position, spacer preference, application, purification level, metal-loading needs and documentation requirements.

Information Helpful for Metal-Chelating Oligo Design

Sequence DNA/RNA sequence and target length
Chelator DOTA, NOTA, DTPA, NTA or ligandt
Metal Gd, Ga, Cu, Eu, Tb, Ni or other
Placement 5′, 3′, internal or spacer
QC HPLC/UPLC, LC-MS, loading check

Need help selecting a chelator or metal-loading strategy?

Share your sequence, target metal, desired chelator or ligand, application, placement position, spacer preference, scale, purification target, metal-loading requirements and documentation needs. Bio-Synthesis can recommend a compatible chelation, conjugation, purification and QC plan.
M

Related Product

Related conjugation, imaging, redox and affinity capture services.

Fast Quote Checklist

Include sequence, chelator, metal, placement, spacer, application and QC.

Sequence Chelator Metal Placement QC

Recommended Reading & Literature References

Selected references covering radiometal-labeled oligonucleotides, lanthanide probes, metal-chelating nucleic acids, affinity capture systems and metal-mediated nucleic acid assembly. These citations are provided for scientific background and design context rather than product-performance claims.

  1. Liu D, et al. Radiolabeling of functional oligonucleotides for molecular imaging. Frontiers in Oncology. 2022.
  2. Rockey WM, et al. Synthesis and radiolabeling of chelator-RNA aptamer conjugates using 64Cu, NOTA and DOTA. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry. 2011.
  3. Roivainen A, et al. 68Ga-labeled oligonucleotides for in vivo PET imaging. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2004.
  4. Heffern MC, et al. Lanthanide probes for bioresponsive imaging. Chemical Reviews. 2013.
  5. Cho U, et al. Lanthanide-based optical probes of biological systems. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020.
  6. Knecht S, et al. Oligohis-tags: mechanisms of binding to Ni²⁺–NTA surfaces. Journal of Molecular Recognition. 2009.
  7. Erxleben A. Interactions of copper complexes with nucleic acids. Coordination Chemistry Reviews. 2018.
  8. François JC, Saison-Behmoaras E, Chassignol M, et al. Sequence-specific recognition and cleavage of duplex DNA via oligonucleotides linked to phenanthroline-copper chelates. PNAS. 1989.

Note: These references provide scientific background for DOTA, NOTA, DTPA, EDTA, NTA, lanthanide chelates, radiometal labeling, metal-mediated assembly and affinity-capture oligonucleotide technologies. Final assay design should be evaluated around the intended metal, chelator, linker architecture, purification method and validation workflow.

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