Diazirine-containing RNA photocrosslinking probes for the study of siRNA-protein interactions.

We here report the synthesis and characterization of small interfering RNAs with aryl trifluoromethyl diazirine moieties in the 3'-overhang regions, which allow sensitive detection of interacting proteins during assembly of the effector ribonucleoprotein complex by irradiation with minimally destructive long-wavelength ultraviolet light.

Synthesis and properties of a novel molecular beacon containing a benzene-phosphate backbone at its stem moiety.

This paper describes the synthesis and properties of a novel molecular beacon (MB) containing a benzene-phosphate backbone at its stem moiety. The fluorescence intensity of MBs was found to stabilize by the introduction of the benzene-phosphate backbone at its stem moiety. Furthermore, an MB containing the benzene-phosphate backbone was more resistant to DNase I (endonuclease) than an MB comprising natural DNA and 2'-O-methyl-RNA.