DNA/RNA synthesis and labelling.

Reliable methods of machine-aided RNA synthesis have been established to complement those for DNA assembly. Oligonucleotides containing thio-modified backbones and 2'-O-alkyl sugars head the list of many newly available analogues. Biotin, fluorescent agents and many reporter groups can be conveniently introduced into oligonucleotides in multiples by phosphoramidite or H-phosphonate chemistry.