Reactive DNA Probes for Cross-Linking with Specific Amino Acids of Protein.

This chapter serves as a practical guide to designing and synthesizing reactive DNA probes for site-selective covalent cross-linking with proteins. By using enzymatic incorporation of modified nucleotides, researchers can create probes that selectively target amino acid residues such as cysteine, lysine, arginine, and tryptophan. The approach exploits the proximity effect for precise, reagent-free cross-linking under mild conditions, making it a powerful tool for mapping protein-DNA interactions and enabling stable bioconjugation for applications in chemical biology, diagnostics, and therapeutics.