| abstract |
Nucleic acids may be labeled by complexing the alkylating moiety of a labeling reagent into a single-stranded nucleic acid to form a complex and activating the complex to cause covalent bonding between the reagent and the nucleic acid. Preferably, the labeled nucleic acid is a single-stranded hybridization probe for detecting nucleic acid sequences capable of hybridizing with a hybridizing region of the nucleic acid. Also preferably the label moiety is non-radioactive. The labeling reagent is of the formula: [A-[B-L where A is an alkylating moiety, B is a divalent organic moiety of the formula: <IMAGE> where Y is O, NH or N-CHO, x is a number from 1 to 4, y is a number from 2 to 4, and L is a monovalent label moiety, wherein B is exclusive of any portion of the alkylating and label moieties. Preferably A is a 4-methylene-substituted psoralen moiety, and most preferably A is a 4'-methylene-substituted-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen moiety and L is biotin. |