oligonükleotid

Oligonükleotid refers to a short chain of nucleotides, typically ranging from 2 to around 50 monomers. Nucleotides are the basic building blocks of DNA and RNA, each consisting of a phosphate group, a sugar molecule (deoxyribose in DNA, ribose in RNA), and a nitrogenous base (adenine, guanine, cytosine, or thymine in DNA; adenine, guanine, cytosine, or uracil in RNA). The number of nucleotides in an oligonükleotid determines its length. For instance, a molecule with 10 nucleotides would be a decanucleotide.

These short nucleic acid sequences have significant applications in molecular biology and biotechnology. They are widely used as primers in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to initiate DNA synthesis, enabling the amplification of specific DNA regions. Oligonükleotid probes are employed in hybridization techniques, such as Southern and Northern blots, to detect the presence of complementary nucleic acid sequences. Furthermore, synthetic oligonükleotid technology allows for the creation of custom sequences with specific functions, including gene silencing (e.g., siRNA, antisense oligonucleotides) and gene editing (e.g., guide RNA in CRISPR-Cas9 systems). Their precise synthesis and targeted interactions make them invaluable tools for research, diagnostics, and therapeutic development.