The Chemical Biology Of Nucleic Acids

With extensive coverage of synthesis techniques and applications, this text describes chemical biology techniques which have gained significant impetus during the last five years. It focuses on the methods for obtaining modified and native nucleic acids, and their biological applications. Topics covered include:
chemical synthesis of modified RNA
expansion of the genetic alphabet in nucleic acids by creating new base pairs
chemical biology of DNA replication: probing DNA polymerase selectivity mechanisms with modified nucleotides
nucleic-acid-templated chemistry
chemical biology of peptide nucleic acids (PNA)
the interactions of small molecules with DNA and RNA
the architectural modules of folded RNAs
genesis and biological applications of locked nucleic acid (LNA)
small non-coding RNA in bacteria
microRNA-guided gene silencing
nucleic acids based therapies
innate immune recognition of nucleic acid
light-responsive nucleic acids for the spatiotemporal control of biological processes
DNA methylation
frameworks for programming RNA devices
RNA as a catalyst: The Diels-Alderase-Ribozyme
evolving an understanding of RNA function by in vitro approaches
the chemical biology of aptamers: synthesis and applications
nucleic acids as detection tools
bacterial riboswitch discovery and analysis
The Chemical Biology of Nucleic Acids is an essential compendium of the synthesis of nucleic acids and their biological applications for bioorganic chemists, chemical biologists, medicinal chemists, cell biologists, and molecular biologists.

Gunter Mayer, Assistant Professor, LIMES Prog. Unit Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Kekule-Institute for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bonn, Germany
Professor Mayer's research involves molecular diversity applied to elucidate the conformation,?function and identity of biomolecules. He is a co-founder of NascaCell Technologies AG, a leading service provider of innovative biomolecules, where he headed the combinatorial biotechnology department. He has published papers in leading journals such as Nature, Angewandte Chemie and Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Foreword.
Preface.
List of Contributors.
1 Chemical Synthesis of Modified RNA (Claudia Höbartner and Falk Wachowius).
2 Expansion of the Genetic Alphabet in Nucleic Acids by Creating New Base Pairs (Ichiro Hirao and Michiko Kimoto).
3 Chemical Biology of DNA Replication: Probing DNA Polymerase Selectivity Mechanisms with Modified Nucleotides (Andreas Marx).
4 Nucleic Acid-templated Chemistry (Michael Oberhuber).
5 Chemical Biology of Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNAs) (Peter E. Nielsen).
6 The Interactions of Small Molecules with DNA and RNA (Yun Xie, Victor K. Tam and Yitzhak Tor).
7 The Architectural Motifs of Folded RNAs (Valérie Fritsch and Eric Westhof).
8 Genesis and Biological Applications of Locked Nucleic Acids (LNAs) (Harleen Kaur and Souvik Maiti).
9 Small Non-coding RNA in Bacteria (Sabine Brantl).
10 MicroRNA-guided Gene Silencing (Gunter Meister).
11 Nucleic Acid-based Therapies (Britta Hoehn and John J. Rossi).
12 Innate Immune Recognition of Nucleic Acids (Stefan Bauer).
13 Light-responsive Nucleic Acids for the Spatiotemporal Control of Biological Processes (Alexander Heckel and Günter Mayer).
14 DNA Methylation (Albert Jeltsch and Renata Z. Jurkowska).
15 Frameworks for Programming RNA Devices (Maung Nyan Win, Joe C. Liang and Christina D. Smolke).
16 RNA as a Catalyst: The Diels-Alderase Ribozyme (Andres Jaschke).
17 Evolving an Understanding of RNA Function by In Vitro Approaches (Qing Wang and Peter J. Unrau).
18 The Chemical Biology of Aptamers: Synthesis and Applications (Gunter Mayer and Bernhard Wulffen).
19 Nucleic Acids as Detection Tools (Jeffrey C.F. Lam, Sergio Aguirre and Yingfu Li).
20 Bacterial Riboswitch Discovery and Analysis (Tyler D. Ames and Ronald R. Breaker).
Index.