Nucleic acid analogues are compounds structurally similar to naturally occuring RNA and DNA, used as a research tool in molecular biology and/or as cure in medicine.

Medicine

Main article: Nucleoside analogues Several nucleoside analogues are used as antiviral or anticancer agents. The viral polymerase incorporates these compounds with non-canon bases. These compounds are activated in the cells by being converted into nucleotides, they are adminisered as nuclosides as charged nucleotides cannot easily cross cell membranes.