Abstract
Metal-ion-mediated base pairing has been extensively studied in the context of DNA nanotechnology or expansion of the genetic alphabet but only recently with the aim of recognition of natural nucleic acid sequences. This review article focuses on the attempts to utilize metal-ion-carrying oligonucleotides as high-affinity probes for nucleic acids but relevant studies carried out at the monomer level are also discussed. Special emphasis is given to challenges inherent to this approach, such as the limited recognition elements of the canonical nucleobases and the scarcity of suitable metal ions in the intracellular medium. Finally, potential ways to overcome these challenges are proposed.
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