Synthesis of highly functional nucleic acids and their application to DNA technology

We have synthesized a number of highly functional nucleic acids and have applied them to DNA technology. Unique characteristics possessed inherently by DNA have been applied to the design of highly functional nucleic acids. We spatially arranged functional bases in the nucleic acid structure, and controlled various functions of the synthetic nucleic acids by changes in sequence, microstructure, and micropolarity. The organic synthesis of such conceptually new functional nucleic acids could open up a new field of genome science and nanobiomaterial science. In this review, we describe the following: (i) rational design of highly functional DNA nanowires, (ii) the development of base-discriminating fluorescent nucleobases and their application to gene polymorphism typing, and (iii) reporter nucleobases for monitoring the change in the microenvironment around DNA and its surroundings.