LINEAR AND HAIRPIN OLIGONUCLEOTIDE ANALOGUES COMPRISING INTERCALATOR PSEUDONUCLEOTIDES

摘要

The present invention relates to hairpin oligonucleotides or oligonucleotide analogues comprising at least one intercalator pseudonucleotide. Intercalator pseudonucleotides are capable of being incorporated into the phosphate backdone of a nucleic acid and comprises an intercalator comprising at least one essentially flat conjugated system, which is capable of co-stacking with nucleobases of a nucleic acid. The invention further relates to methods of detecting hybridisation between (parts of) said hairpin oligonucleotides or oligonucleotide analogues and a template. In addition, methods for detecting template directed extension of an oligonucleotide analogue comprising at least one intercalator pseudonucleotides are described. In preferred embodiments of the invention the oligonucleotide analogue is a hairpin.