DNA-like duplexes with repetitions. III. Efficient template-guided chemical polymerization of d(TGGCCAAGCTp)

Self-association of a decanucleotide d(TGGCCAAGCTp) in an aqueous solution is shown by UV spectroscopy, CD and sedimentation analysis to yield a pseudopolymeric (concatemeric) duplex having a geometry similar to that of DNA B-type. It is demonstrated that in conditions when the concatemeric duplex is stable a water-soluble carbodiimide induces efficient polymerization of the 3'- or 5'-phosphorylated decanucleotide, and the resulting polymers d(TGGCCAAGCTp)2-10 contain only natural phosphodiester bonds. In conditions optimal for template-guided polymerization of d(TGGCCAAGCTp) the overall yield of 20-100-member polynucleotides exceeds 90%. The obtained polymeric duplexes are cleaved by restriction endonuclease Alu II, Bsu RI, and Hind III to corresponding decamers which were isolated and sequenced.