Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
A pair of oligonucleotides (ODNs), each of said ODNs comprising nucleotide moieties having naturally occurring aglycon bases and a combination of modified aglycon bases selected from the group consisting of the combinations (1) A', T', (2) G', C' and (3) A', T', G', C', the duplex form of said pair of ODNs having a melting temperature under physiological conditions of less than approximately 40° C., each of said pair of ODNs being substantially complementary in the Watson-Crick sense to one of the two strands of a duplexed target sequence in nucleic acid, wherein the nucleotide moieties having the modified bases have the following properties: within complementary oligonucleotides A' does not form a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with T' and forms a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with T; within complementary oligonucleotides T' does not form a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with A' and forms a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with A; within complementary oligonucleotides G' does not form a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with C' and forms a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with C, and within complementary oligonucleotides C' does not form a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with GI and forms a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with G.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
205 words
A pair of oligonucleotides (ODNs), each of said ODNs comprising nucleotide moieties having naturally occurring aglycon bases and a combination of modified aglycon bases selected from the group consisting of the combinations (1) A', T', (2) G', C' and (3) A', T', G', C', the duplex form of said pair of ODNs having a melting temperature under physiological conditions of less than approximately 40° C., each of said pair of ODNs being substantially complementary in the Watson-Crick sense to one of the two strands of a duplexed target sequence in nucleic acid, wherein the nucleotide moieties having the modified bases have the following properties: within complementary oligonucleotides A' does not form a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with T' and forms a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with T; within complementary oligonucleotides T' does not form a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with A' and forms a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with A; within complementary oligonucleotides G' does not form a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with C' and forms a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with C, and within complementary oligonucleotides C' does not form a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with GI and forms a stable hydrogen bonded base pair with G.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
99 words
The ODNs of claim 1 wherein the nucleotide moiety A' has the structure selected from the groups shown by formulas (i), (ii) and (iii) ##STR10## wherein X is N or CH; Y is O or S; Z is OH or CH 3 ; R is H, F, or OR 2 , where R 2 is H, C 1-6 alkyl or allyl, and R 1 is C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, C 1-4 alkylthio, F, or NHR 3 where R 3 is H, or C 1-4 alkyl, and where R* is H, a cross-linking function or a reporter group.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
The ODNs of claim 1 wherein the nucleotide moiety T' has the formula (iv) ##STR11## wherein Y is O or S; Z is OH or CH 3 ; R is H, F, or OR 2 , where R 2 is H, C 1-6 alkyl or allyl, and R 4 is H, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alkynyl, a cross-linking function or a reporter group.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
100 words
The ODNs of claim 1 wherein the nucleotide moiety G' has the structure selected from the groups shown by formulas (v), (vi) and (vii) ##STR12## wherein X is N or CH; Y is O or S; Z is OH or CH 3 ; R is H, F, or OR 2 , where R 2 is H, C 1-6 alkyl or allyl, and R 1 is H, C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, C 1-4 alkylthio, F, or NHR 3 where R 3 is H, or C 1-4 alkyl, and where R* is H, a cross-linking function or a reporter group.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
89 words
The ODNs of claim 1 wherein the nucleotide C' has the structure selected from the groups shown by formulas (viii) and (ix) ##STR13## wherein Y is O or S; Z is OH or CH 3 ; R is H, F, or OR 2 , where R 2 is H, C 1-6 alkyl or allyl, R 4 is H, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkenyl, C 1-6 alknyl, a cross-linking function or a reporter group; Z 1 is O or NH, and R 5 is H, or C 1-4 alkyl.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The ODNs of claim 2 wherein the nucleotide moiety A' has the structure in accordance with formula (i).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ODNs of claim 6 wherein X is N, Z is OH, and Y is O.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
12 words
The ODNs of claim 7 wherein R 1 is NH 2 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The ODNs of claim 3 wherein Z is OH, and Y is O.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The ODNs of claim 9 wherein R 4 is CH 3 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The ODNs of claim 4 wherein the nucleotide moiety G' has the structure in accordance with formula (v).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The ODNs of claim 11 wherein X is N, Z is OH, and Y is O.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
10 words
The ODNs of claim 12 wherein R 1 is H.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The ODNs of claim 5 wherein the nucleotide moiety C' has the structure in accordance with formula (viii).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The ODNs of claim 14 wherein, Z is OH, Z 1 is NH and Y is O.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
10 words
The ODNs of claim 15 wherein R 5 is H.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The ODNs of claim 1 having approximately 5 to 99 nucleotide units.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
The ODNs of claim 1 wherein each of the nucleotides is a 2'-deoxyribonucleotide.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
The ODNs of claim 1 wherein each of the nucleotides is a ribonucleotide.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The ODNs of claim 1 comprising at least one nucleotide unit having a 2-O-methylribose moiety.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The ODNs of claim 1 comprising a cross-linking function covalently attached to at least one nucleotide unit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
9 words
The ODNs of claim 1 comprising a reporter group.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The ODNs of claim 1 wherein the combination of modified aglycon bases is A', T'.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The ODNs of claim 1 wherein the combination of modified aglycon bases is G', C'.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The ODNs of claim 1 wherein the combination of modified aglycon bases is A', T', G', C'.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The ODNs of claim 1 where the pair of oligonucleotides are linked to one another by a covalently bonded tether.