Cleavage of functionalized DNA containing 5-modified pyrimidines by type II restriction endonucleases.

A series of six pyrimidine-modified dNTPs--5-ethynyl-, 5-phenyl-, and 5-(3-nitrophenyl)deoxycitidine and -deoxyuridine triphosphates--were prepared and incorporated by primer extension with Vent (exo-)polymerase to specific DNA sequences within or next to the recognition sequences of selected restriction endonucleases. The cleavage of these pyrimidine-modified DNA sequences by 13 restriction enzymes was then studied. Whereas the presence of any modified C within the target sequence completely prevented any restriction cleavage, most enzymes tolerated the presence of 5-ethynylU and two of them even the presence of 5-phenyl- and 5-(3-nitrophenyl)U. Modifications outside the recognition sequence were tolerated except in the case of phenyl derivatives with the PvuII enzyme. 5-EthynylC was used for protection of the recognition sequence from cleavage in the presence of the second unmodified copy of the same sequence that was cleaved.

Alkylsulfanylphenyl derivatives of cytosine and 7-deazaadenine nucleosides, nucleotides and nucleoside triphosphates: synthesis, polymerase incorporation to DNA and electrochemical study.

Aqueous Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of halogenated nucleosides, nucleotides and nucleoside triphosphates derived from 5-iodocytosine and 7-iodo-7-deazaadenine with methyl-, benzyl- and tritylsufanylphenylboronic acids gave the corresponding alkylsulfanylphenyl derivatives of nucleosides and nucleotides. The modified nucleoside triphosphates were incorporated into DNA by primer extension by using Vent(exo-) polymerase. The electrochemical behaviour of the alkylsulfanylphenyl nucleosides indicated formation of compact layers on the electrode. Modified nucleotides and DNA with incorporated benzyl- or tritylsulfanylphenyl moieties produced signals in [Co(NH(3))(6)](3+) ammonium buffer, attributed to the Brdicka catalytic response, depending on the negative potential applied. Repeated constant current chronopotentiometric scans in this medium showed increased Brdicka catalytic response, which suggests the deprotection of the alkylsulfanyl derivatives to free thiols under the conditions.

Tail-labelling of DNA probes using modified deoxynucleotide triphosphates and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. Application in electrochemical DNA hybridization and protein-DNA binding assays.

A simple approach to DNA tail-labelling using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase and modified deoxynucleoside triphosphates is presented. Amino- and nitrophenyl-modified dNTPs were found to be good substrates for this enzyme giving 3'-end stretches of different lengths depending on the nucleotide and concentration. 3-Nitrophenyl-7-deazaG was selected as the most useful label because its dNTP was efficiently incorporated by the transferase to form long tail-labels at any oligonucleotide. Accumulation of many nitrophenyl tags per oligonucleotide resulted in a considerable enhancement of voltammetric signals due to the nitro group reduction, thus improving the sensitivity of electrochemical detection of the tail-labelled probes. We demonstrate a perfect discrimination between complementary and non-complementary target DNAs sequences by tail-labelled hybridization probes as well as the ability of tumour suppressor p53 protein to recognize a specific binding site within tail-labelled DNA substrates, making the methodology useful in electrochemical DNA hybridization and DNA-protein interaction assays.

Cleavage of adenine-modified functionalized DNA by type II restriction endonucleases.

A set of 6 base-modified 2'-deoxyadenosine derivatives was incorporated to diverse DNA sequences by primer extension using Vent (exo-) polymerase and the influence of the modification on cleavage by diverse restriction endonucleases was studied. While 8-substituted (Br or methyl) adenine derivatives were well tolerated by the restriction enzymes and the corresponding sequences were cleaved, the presence of 7-substituted 7-deazaadenine in the recognition sequence resulted in blocking of cleavage by some enzymes depending on the nature and size of the 7-substituent. All sequences with modifications outside of the recognition sequence were perfectly cleaved by all the restriction enzymes. The results are useful both for protection of some sequences from cleavage and for manipulation of functionalized DNA by restriction cleavage.

Synthesis of nucleoside and nucleotide conjugates of bile acids, and polymerase construction of bile acid-functionalized DNA.

Aqueous Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions of 5-iodopyrimidine or 7-iodo-7-deazaadenine nucleosides with bile acid-derived terminal acetylenes linked via an ester or amide tether gave the corresponding bile acid-nucleoside conjugates. Analogous reactions of halogenated nucleoside triphosphates gave directly bile acid-modified dNTPs. Enzymatic incorporation of these modified nucleotides to DNA was successfully performed using Phusion polymerase for primer extension. One of the dNTPs (dCTP bearing cholic acid) was also efficient for PCR amplification.

Cross-Coupling Modification of Nucleoside Triphosphates, PEX, and PCR Construction of Base-Modified DNA.

A novel, efficient, two-step methodology is presented for construction of base-modified oligonucleotides or DNA, involving aqueous cross-coupling reactions of halogenated nucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) with terminal acetylenes or arylboronic acids, followed by polymerase incorporation of the modified dNTPs either using primer extension (PEX) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Curr. Protoc. Chem Biol. 2:1-14. © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.