Dendritic nucleic acids exhibiting maximal self-assembly
AssigneePolyprobe, Inc.
InventorThor W. Nilsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are nucleic acid matrices comprising a dendrimeric network of interconnected monomers. Each monomeric unit is synthesized using nucleic acid sequences having no repeats of subsequences of a predetermined length. In preferred embodiments, the subsequences have a length of 3-5 nucleotides. The DNA monomers assembled therefrom exhibit maximal self-assembly properties in that they hybridize substantially only to portions of other monomers having complementary sequences. The monomers in the dendrimeric assembly may be cross-linked to enhance structural integrity of the matrix.
Claims12
A polynucleotide matrix having a plurality of single stranded hybridization arms;
- said polynucleotide matrix comprising a plurality of polynucleotide monomers bonded together by hybridization;
- each polynucleotide monomer having an intermediate region comprising a linear, double stranded waist region having a first end and a second end, said first end terminating with two single stranded hybridization regions, each from one strand of the waist region, and said second end terminating with one or two single stranded hybridization regions, each from one strand of the waist region;
- and in said polynucleotide matrix each polynucleotide monomer is hybridization bonded to at least one other polynucleotide monomer at at least one such hybridization region;
- and wherein each of said hybridization regions and said waist regions of said plurality of monomers comprise sequences obtained from a master sequence containing no repeats of subsequences having X nucleotides, wherein X represents an integer of from 2 to 6.
A composition for use as a hybridization reagent for detection of a nucleic acid sequence, comprising a polynucleotide matrix having a plurality of single stranded hybridization arms;
- said polynucleotide matrix comprising a plurality of polynucleotide monomers bonded together by hybridization;
- each polynucleotide monomer having an intermediate region comprising a linear, double stranded waist region having a first end and a second end, said first end terminating with two single stranded hybridization regions, each from one strand of the waist region, and said second end terminating with one or two single stranded hybridization regions, each from one strand of the waist region;
- and in said polynucleotide matrix each polynucleotide monomer is hybridization bonded to at least one other polynucleotide monomer at at least one such hybridization region;
- and wherein each of said hybridization regions and said waist regions of said plurality of monomers comprise sequences obtained from a master sequence containing no repeats of subsequences having X nucleotides, wherein X represents an integer of from 2 to 6.
A polynucleotide monomer comprising an intermediate region comprising a linear, double stranded waist region having a first end and a second end, said first end terminating with two single stranded hybridization regions, each from one strand of the waist region, and said second end terminating with one or two single stranded hybridization regions, each from one strand of the waist region;
- and wherein each of said hybridization regions and said waist region of said monomer comprise sequences obtained from a master sequence containing no repeats of subsequences having X nucleotides wherein X represents an integer of from 2 to 6.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.