Organomercury Nucleic Acids: Past, Present and Future

Synthetic efforts towards nucleosides, nucleotides, oligonucleotides and nucleic acids covalently mercurated at one or more of their base moieties are summarized, followed by a discussion of the proposed, realized and abandoned applications of this unique class of compounds. Special emphasis is given to fields in which active research is ongoing, notably the use of Hg-II-mediated base pairing to improve the hybridization properties of oligonucleotide probes. Finally, this minireview attempts to anticipate potential future applications of organomercury nucleic acids.

Automated summary

This review summarizes the synthetic efforts towards nucleosides, nucleotides, oligonucleotides, and nucleic acids covalently mercurated at their base moieties, as well as discusses the proposed, realized, and abandoned applications of such compounds. Emphasis is placed on ongoing research areas, particularly the use of Hg-II-mediated base pairing to enhance the hybridization properties of oligonucleotide probes. The review also aims to anticipate potential future applications of organomercury nucleic acids.