Synthesis and nuclease stability of trilysyl dendrimer–oligodeoxyribonucleotide hybrids

Hybrids of oligonucleotides and trilysyl-dendrimers with terminal acyl groups were prepared via solid-phase synthesis, including a DNA hexamer bearing an additional 3′-appendage. These were shown to be degraded more slowly by nuclease S1 than control strands, particularly at low pH, and, in one case, to form a duplex with a complementary strand whose melting point at pH 7 was higher than that of the control duplex.