Intercalators - Introduction

Introduction to Intercalators

DNA intercalators in general are polycyclic, aromatic, planar molecules capable of fitting in between nucleic acid base pairs (1). Incorporation of intercalators into oligonucleotides allows the modified oligos to be cross-linked (in the case of psoralen) to complementary nucleic acid strands, or to show an increase in subsequent duplex or triplex stability (in the case of acridine).