Investigations on base pairing between N8-glycosylated 8-aza-guanine bases and 8-substituted purine bases.

The natural genome consists of two base pair systems, A:T and G:C. For the expansion of the genetic system, research has been initiated to select new base pair systems, which will allow to encode more information in DNA than presently possible. It is important that these new bases are not recognized by the natural bases. The project has the aim to develop such new base pair system in a rational way. The system consists of N8 substituted purine and N9 substituted purine bases, which can, theoretically, base pair via the Hoogsteen system. These new base pair systems will be synthesized and investigated on their hybridization capacity in vitro, and in vivo on the recognition by the natural system.