Herbert Schott

Enzymic polynucleotide synthesis primed by polyvinylalcohol linked oligothymidylate

The chemical preparation of monoand oligonucleotides covalently bound to polyvinyl alcohol’ by 5’-phosphodiester linkages has been reported recently [ 1,2]. The availability of this kind of water soluble polymer has prompted us to test, whether the coupled oligothymidylate chains can serve as primers for the enzymic synthesis of polynucleotides. In this communication we wish to present evidence that polyvinyl alcohol bound oligothymidylate effectively primes the addition of nucleotide residues catalyzed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase, and that the extended chains can act as templates in the presence of DNA polymerase I. From this a new route to polynucleotide synthesis on polymer support