DNA sequencing is usually implemented sequentially; nucleotides (A, T, G, or C) are read one at a time. In the interests of time and cost, one would rather have a method to read several bases in parallel. One such parallel system is sequencing by hybridization (SBH). This process uses small length single-stranded DNA probes that are attached to a support to make a microarray. Each feature has a different sequence. Upon adding the DNA to be sequenced, portions of the unknown DNA base pair to a complementary DNA probe. Once annealed, the probes can be detected fluorescently or electrochemically. Computer algorithms can deconvolute the unknown sequence This thesis discusses synthetic progress towards organic and organometallic base-pair step analogues in a peptide nucleic acid probe useful for SBH. This project lent itself to several secondary investigations. Atypical reactivity patterns in simple ferrocenes were exploited to re-explore the surprising properties of ferrocene acetonitrile and ferrocenyl sulfonic acid. Also presented is the development of a pH-dependent organometallic DNA nicking agent.
Cooper, Daniel C.,
"Synthetic Studies Toward Organic and Organometallic DNA Base-Pair Step Analogues"
(2012).
Chemistry Theses and Dissertations.
Brown Digital Repository. Brown University Library.
https://doi.org/10.7301/Z0TT4P85
