Incorporating disulfide cross-links at the terminus of oligonucleotides via solid-phase nucleic acid synthesis

A new reagent has been prepared that allows disulfide cross-links to be introduced into nucleic acids during solid-phase synthesis. The disulfide is formed between thioalkyl tethers at the N3-position of thymidines and stabilizes the termini of nucleic acid helices. This reagent should be especially useful for synthesizing small but stable nucleic acid structures.