Stabilisation of TG- and AG-containing antiparallel DNA triplexes by triplex-binding ligands.

We have used DNase I footprinting to examine the interaction of several triplex-binding ligands with antiparallel TG- and AG-containing triplexes. We find that although a 17mer TG-containing oligonucleotide on its own fails to produce a footprint at concentrations as high as 30 microM, this interaction can be stabilised by several ligands. Within a series of disubstituted amidoanthraquinones we find that the 2,7- regioisomer affords the best stabilisation of this TG triplex, though the 1,8- isomer also stabilises this interaction to some extent. By contrast the 1,5- and 2,6- regioisomers show no interaction with TG triplexes. Similar studies with a 13mer AG-containing oligonucleotide show the opposite pattern of stabilisation: the 2,6- and 1,5- isomers stabilise this triplex, but the 2,7- and 1,8-compounds do not. The polycyclic compound BePI strongly stabilises TG- but not AG-containing triplexes, while a substituted naphthylquinoline interacts with both antiparallel triplex motifs.

DNA triple helix stabilisation by covalent attachment of a triplex-specific ligand.

We have prepared oligonucleotides with a naphthylquinoline triplex-binding ligand covalently tethered to the 5'-end and have used UV-melting and DNase I footprinting to examine the stability of intra- and inter-molecular triplexes containing this modification. We find that covalent attachment of the ligand increases the melting temperature of intramolecular 6-mer triplexes by about 14 K, and increases the binding of 9-mer oligonucleotides to their duplex target sites by about 60-fold.

Stabilization of DNA triple helices by a series of mono- and disubstituted amidoanthraquinones.

We have used quantitative DNase I footprinting to measure the relative affinities of four disubstituted and two monosubstituted amidoanthraquinone compounds for intermolecular DNA triplexes, and have examined how the position of the attached base-functionalized substituents affects their ability to stabilize DNA triplexes. All four isomeric disubstituted derivatives examined stabilize DNA triplexes at micromolar or lower concentrations. Of the compounds studied the 2,7-disubstituted amidoanthraquinone displayed the greatest triplex affinity. The order of triplex affinity for the other disubstituted ligands decreases in the order 2,7 > 1,8 = 1,5 > 2,6, with the equivalent monosubstituted compounds being at least an order of magnitude less efficient. The 1,5-disubstituted derivative also shows some interaction with duplex DNA. These results have been confirmed by molecular modelling studies, which provide a rational basis for the structure-activity relationships. These suggest that, although all of the compounds bind through an intercalative mode, the 2,6, 2,7 and 1,5 disubstituted isomers bind with their two side groups occupying adjacent triplex grooves, in contrast with the 1,8 isomer which is positioned with both side groups in the same triplex groove.

5-(1-propargylamino)-2'-deoxyuridine (UP): a novel thymidine analogue for generating DNA triplexes with increased stability.

We have used quantitative DNase I footprinting and UV-melting studies to examine the formation of DNA triplexes in which the third strand thymines have been replaced by 5-propargylamino-dU (UP). The intra-molecular triplex A6-L-T6-L-(UP)5T (L = two octanediol residues) shows a single UV-melting transition which is >20 degrees higher than that of the parent triplex A6-L-T6-L-T6at pH 5.5. Although a single transition is observed at all pHs, the melting temperature (Tm) of the modified oligonucleotide decreases at higher pHs, consistent with the requirement for protonation of the amino group. A similar intramolecular triplex with a longer overhanging duplex shows two melting transitions, the lower of which is stabilised by substitution of T by UP, in a pH dependent fashion. Triplex stability increases by approximately 12 K for each T to UP substitution. Quantitative footprinting studies have examined the interaction of three UP-containing 9mer oligonucleotides with the different portions of the 17mer sequence 5'-AGGAAGAGAAAAAAGAA. At pH 5.0, the UP-containing oligo-nucleotides footprint to much lower concentrations than their T-containing counterparts. In particular (UP)6CUPT binds approximately 1000-fold more tightly than the unmodified oligonucleotide T6CTT. Oligonucleotides containing fewer UP residues are stabilised to a lesser extent. The affinity of these modified third strands decreases at higher pHs. These results demonstrate that the stability of DNA triplexes can be dramatically increased by using positively charged analogues of thymine.

Relative stability of triplexes containing different numbers of T.AT and C+.GC triplets.

We have used DNase I footprinting to compare the stability of parallel triple helices containing different numbers of T.AT and C+. GC triplets. We have targeted a fragment containing the 17mer sequence 5'-AGGAAGAGAAAAAAGAA with the 9mer oligonucleotides 5'-TCCTTCTCT, 5'-TTCTCTTTT and 5'-TTTTTTCTT, which form triplexes at the 5'-end, centre and 3'-end of the target site respectively. Quantitative DNase I footprinting has shown that at pH 5.0 the dissociation constants of these oligonucleotides are 0.13, 4.7 and >30 microM respectively, revealing that increasing the proportion of C+.GC triplets increases triplex stability. The results suggest that the positive charge on the protonated cytosine contributes to triplex stability, either by a favourable interaction with the stacked pisystem or by screening the charge on the phosphate groups. In the presence of a naphthylquinoline triplex binding ligand all three oligonucleotides bind with similar affinities. At pH 6.0 these triplexes only form in the presence of the triplex binding ligand, while at pH 7.5 footprints are only seen with the oligonucleotide which generates the fewest number of C+.GC triplets (TTTTTTCTT) in the presence of the ligand.