Photocleavage of Peptides and Oligodeoxynucleotides Carrying 2‐Nitrobenzyl Groups

Peptides and oligodeoxynucleotides containing photolabile 2‐nitrobenzyl groups as mid‐sequences were prepared. Photocleavage of aqueous solutions of these compounds neared completion within 30 min to a few hours depending on the photolabile group used. A photolabile group was introduced in the loop of an intramolecular oligodeoxynucleotide hairpin. Melting curves of the hairpin with and without the complementary oligodeoxynucleotide showed a preference for the intramolecular hairpin form, but an intermolecular duplex was observed after photolysis. These results open the possibility of using photolabile DNA hairpins for the fabrication of patterned surfaces.