Facile end-labeling of RNA with electroactive Os(VI) complexes

Ribose at the 3′-end of oligonucleotides (oligos) selectively modified by Os(VI)2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) produced two CV redox couples at pyrolytic graphite electrode. Using square wave voltammetry (SWV) 22-mer oligos can be detected down to 250 nM. At mercury electrodes the Os(VI)bipy-oligo adducts produced an electrocatalytic peak at ~−1.2 V allowing their determination down to picomolar concentrations. High specificity of Os(VI)bipy for ribose in nucleic acids and high sensitivity of the determination at mercury and solid amalgam electrodes give promise for new efficient methods of microRNA determination.