2'-Deoxyuridine
2'-Deoxyuridine (dU) Oligonucleotide Modification
2'-Deoxyuridine (dU) is a naturally occurring DNA nucleoside analog in which uracil replaces thymine as the nucleobase while retaining the 2'-deoxyribose sugar characteristic of DNA. Although uracil is normally associated with RNA, deoxyuridine can be readily incorporated into synthetic DNA oligonucleotides using standard phosphoramidite chemistry. Its unique biological properties make it an important tool for DNA repair studies, molecular biology, enzymatic cleavage assays, mutagenesis, and the synthesis of custom modified oligonucleotides.
Unlike thymidine, which contains a methyl group at the 5-position of the pyrimidine ring, 2'-deoxyuridine lacks this methyl substituent. Despite this structural difference, deoxyuridine retains similar hybridization properties to thymidine and generally forms stable base pairs with adenine. As a result, dU can often substitute for thymidine without significantly altering the overall structure of the DNA duplex, making it valuable for applications that require site-specific enzymatic recognition.
One of the most common applications of 2'-deoxyuridine is its use as a substrate for Uracil-DNA Glycosylase (UDG or UNG). These enzymes specifically recognize and remove uracil residues from DNA, creating an abasic site that can subsequently be cleaved under appropriate conditions. This property is widely exploited in:
- Carryover contamination prevention in PCR using the dUTP/UNG system
- DNA repair and base excision repair (BER) research
- Site-specific DNA cleavage
- Mutagenesis studies
- DNA damage and repair pathway investigations
- Enzyme characterization assays
In synthetic oligonucleotide chemistry, deoxyuridine also serves as an excellent chemical handle for the preparation of additional modified nucleotides. Numerous commercially available phosphoramidites and post-synthetic labeling chemistries are derived from dU, allowing functional groups to be introduced at the 5-position of the uracil base. These include amino linkers, thiol groups, biotin, fluorescent dyes, photo-crosslinkers, click chemistry handles, affinity tags, and other specialized conjugates used in diagnostics, imaging, and therapeutic research.
Bio-Synthesis offers 2'-deoxyuridine phosphoramidite for incorporation into custom DNA oligonucleotides at precisely defined sequence positions. The modification is fully compatible with standard solid-phase DNA synthesis and can be combined with a broad range of additional modifications, including fluorophores, quenchers, amino modifiers, biotin, click chemistry reagents, PEG linkers, peptide conjugates, and other custom functionalities. Each oligonucleotide is manufactured under rigorous quality standards and is available with optional purification by HPLC or PAGE and analytical characterization by LC-MS or MALDI-TOF, depending on project requirements.
Because of its excellent compatibility with DNA synthesis and its importance in enzymatic recognition, 2'-deoxyuridine remains one of the most widely used modified nucleosides in molecular biology, biotechnology, synthetic biology, and diagnostic assay development. Whether used as a direct thymidine substitute, an enzymatic cleavage site, or a precursor for further chemical derivatization, dU provides researchers with a versatile and reliable platform for designing advanced oligonucleotide constructs.
Product Information
-20°C To -70°C
Oligonucleotides are stable in solution at 4°C for up to 2 weeks. Properly reconstituted material stored at -20°C should be stable for at least 6 months. Dried DNA (when kept at 20°C) in a nuclease-free environment should be stable for years.
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