Abstract: A hydrocarbyldithiomethyl-modified compound of the Formula: R1—O—CH2—S—S—R2 or a salt thereof wherein R1 is an organic molecule and R2 is a hydrocarbyl is useful for protecting and/or blocking hydroxyl groups in organic molecules such as nucleotides. The hydrocarbyldithiomethyl-modified compounds can also be used for chemically synthesizing oligonucleotides and for sequencing nucleic acid compounds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a support system for solid phase synthesis of oligomers, such as oligonucleotides, wherein the starting compound is bound to the support via a disiloxyl linkage. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for synthesis of oligonucleotides on a solid support. The support system comprises a stable disiloxyl linkage providing high nucleoside loadings to the support and the method allows convenient non-laborious oligomer synthesis.

Abstract: The invention relates to compounds of general structure (I) or salts thereof, wherein B is a nucleobase, X and Z independently are oxygen or sulphur, Y is hydrogen or hydroxy, which optionally may be protected, R1 is hydrocarbyl, which optionally is substituted with a functional group, R2 is hydrogen or hydrocarbyl, which optionally is substituted with a functional group, A is an electron withdrawing or electron donating group capable of moderating the acetal stability of compound (I), L1 and L2 are hydrocarbon linkers, which may be the same or different, L2, when present, being either (i) connected to L1 via the group A, or (ii) directly connected to L1, the group A then being connected to one of linkers L1 and L2, F is a dye label, Q is a coupling group for F, and l, m and n independently are 0 or 1, with the proviso that l is 1 when m is 1, and l is 1 and m is 1 when n is 1. The compounds of formula (I) are useful as deactivatable chain extension terminators.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nucleic acid detecting agent able to interact with a target sequence through catenation. The invention provides a nucleic acid detecting reagent comprising a) two free nucleic acid ends which are at least partially complementary to and capable of hybridizing to two adjacent regions of a target nucleic acid sequence; and b) an intermediate segment between the ends, the intermediate segment being labeled with a least one detectable element selected from the group consisting of chromophores, fluorophores, luminescers, radiolabels, affinity groups and enzymes, wherein only the ends of the reagent hybridize to the target nucleic acid sequence.

Abstract: Bifuncitonal chelating pyridine compound and its use for conferring chelating properties on organic compounds. The pyridine compound has the structure ##STR1## where (i) n is an integer 1 or 2,(ii) R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 represent groups that have no electrons capable of significantly delocalizing or resonating with the pyridine ring, such as hydrogen, alkyl or aralkyl having an aliphatic carbon atom next to the pyridine ring; at least two of R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of detecting a target nucleic acid sequence in a sample by contacting the sample with a detectable probe having ends which hybridize to two adjacent regions of the target sequence. The hybridized probe ends are then covalently connected to form a cyclized structure interlocking with the target molecule. This structure is then subjected either to non-hybridizing conditions and/or to exonuclease activity to remove any non-cyclized probes from the target sequence. The target molecule is then detected by detecting the presence of the interlocking, cantenated probe.

Abstract: The method for demonstrating the presence of an activity of an enzyme by(a) incubating said enzyme with a fluorogenic substrate A which is converted by the enzyme to a product B differing from A in respect to its fluorescent properties, A and/or B carrying a chromophore which is a triplet sensitizer having a triplet energy level above the excitation energy level of a lanthanide ion selected from the group consisting of Eu.sup.3+, Tb.sup.3+, Dy.sup.3+ and Sm.sup.3+ and which is capable of chelating said lanthanide ion by means of an oxygen or nitrogen atom in said chromophore, and that B differs from A either by(i) carrying a different chromophore, or(ii) having a different chelating ability, and(b) measuring the change in fluorescence caused by said enzyme.

Abstract: A chelate formed between Eu.sup.3+, Tb.sup.3+, Dy.sup.3+ and Sm.sup.3+ and a compound having the formula ##STR1## where A.sub.1-6 are single carbon or nitrogen atoms; n=1 or 2; R.sub.1-6 is nothing when A is a nitrogen, and hydrogen or an organic group when A is a carbon; Z and Z' are selected among --N(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COO.sup.-).sub.2, --N(CH.sub.2 COO.sup.-).sub.2, --N(CH.sub.2 OPO.sub.3.sup.2-).sub.2 and --N(CH.sub.2 PO.sub.3.sup.2-).sub.2 ;--species that --X--Y is a substituent replacing a hydrogen anywhere in the parent compound; and --X--Y represents an organic group containing no chelating heteroatom closer than four atoms from a chelating heteroatom in the parent compound and X is a stable bridge containing certain groups and Y is selected from (a) specified relative groups allowing coupling to other compounds and (b) residues of compounds participating in biospecific affinity reactions.