Inventors:
Muthiah Manoharan - Weston MA, US
Jie Xia - Carlsbad CA, US
Assignee:
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - Cambridge MA
International Classification:
C07H 21/00
C07H 21/02
C07H 21/04
C12Q 1/68
US Classification:
536 231, 536 243, 536 2433, 435 6
Abstract:
One aspect of the present invention relates to a double-stranded oligonucleotide comprising at least one non-natural nucleobase. In certain embodiments, the non-natural nucleobase is difluorotolyl, nitroindolyl, nitropyrrolyl, or nitroimidazolyl. In a preferred embodiment, the non-natural nucleobase is difluorotolyl. In certain embodiments, only one of the two oligonucleotide strands comprising the double-stranded oligonucleotide contains a non-natural nucleobase. In certain embodiments, both of the oligonucleotide strands comprising the double-stranded oligonucleotide independently contain a non-natural nucleobase. In certain embodiments, the oligonucleotide strands comprise at least one modified sugar moiety. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a single-stranded oligonucleotide comprising at least one non-natural nucleobase. In a preferred embodiment, the non-natural nucleobase is difluorotolyl.