| abstract |
(57) [Summary]nThe present invention relates to constructs and compositions containing multimeric forms of nucleic acids. Multimeric nucleic acids include single-stranded nucleic acids that are bound to streptavidin by biotin and have functional groups attached. These constructs can be used in vivo to treat or identify diseased tissues or cells. Repeated administration of multimeric nucleic acid components results in rapid and specific amplification of nucleic acid constructs and their binding functional groups. For therapeutic purposes, the functional group may be a toxin, radioisotope, gene or enzyme. Diagnostically, labeled multimeric constructs can be used to identify specific targets in vivo or in vitro. Multimeric nucleic acids can also be used in nanotechnology and for producing self-assembling polymer aggregates, such as membranes of defined porosity, microcircuits and numerous other products. |