Catalyst for DNA Ligation: Towards a Two-Stage Replication Cycle

Abstract

Modification of the DNA backbone by replacement of a single phosphate with an alkylamine is shown to generate a selective ligation catalyst. Related backbone modifications can be chemically read from a complementary DNA sequence. With this demonstration, it now appears possible to generate a two-stage replication cycle (see scheme), a simplified version of the biological three-stage DNA–RNA–protein cycle necessary for biological replication.