Synthetic mRNA cap analogs with a modified triphosphate bridge – synthesis, applications and prospects

Abstract

The cap structure was discovered at the 5′-end of the eukaryotic mRNA over three and a half decades ago. Since then, hundreds of chemically modified cap analogs have been synthesized and applied in numerous studies on the elucidation of cap-related physiological processes in the cell, and became important members of the biophosphate family. In this Perspective, we present recent developments in the synthesis of cap analogs modified within 5′,5′-triphosphate bridges and their utility for interdisciplinary studies on cap-dependent processes in gene expression and its regulation, as well as biotechnological applications and perspectives in medicine.