Oligonucleotides, or sequences produced by DNA, are the stars when it comes to all the sci-fi things manufactured DNA can do. It is the process that makes them which can go sideways. This process needs phosphoramidites, which tend to be unstable, for setting off the necessary reactions that create oligonucleotides. Temperatures over -4 degrees Fahrenheit threaten their stability. Unfortunately, there is no way to cool them down with the instruments used in DNA synthesis. This can mean they degrade before they are ever put to use.
Chemists Kurt Gothelf, Troels Skrydstrup and Alexander Sandahl, who co-led a study recently published in
A new method for efficient and automated production of synthetic DNA
Chemically synthesized short DNA sequences are extremely important ingredients with countless uses in research laboratories, hospitals, and in industry, like in the method for identifying COVID-19.
Phosphoramidites are necessary building blocks in the production of DNA sequences, but they are unstable, and break quickly. PhD Alexander Sandahl (Professor Kurt Gothelf s group) has, in collaboration with a researcher in Professor Troels Skrydstrup s group, developed a new patented way to quickly and efficiently manufacture the unstable building blocks immediately before they are to be used, and thus streamline DNA production.
The DNA sequences produced are also called oligonucleotides. These are widely used for disease identification, for the manufacture of oligonucleotide-based drugs, and for several other medical and biotechnological applications.
Aarhus University
The DNA sequences produced are also called oligonucleotides. These are widely used for disease identification, for the manufacture of oligonucleotide-based drugs, and for several other medical and biotechnological applications.
The high demand for oligonucleotides therefore requires an efficient automated method for their chemical production.This process relies on phosphoramidites, which are chemical compounds that have the disadvantage of being unstable unless stored at the ideal -20 degrees Celsius.
Instruments used for DNA synthesis are not able to cool down the phosphoramidites, and consequently it is unavoidable that some of them degrade after being added to the instrument.
Avoiding unwanted degradation of important ingredients