John Goodchild

Oligodeoxynucleoside methylphosphonates: synthesis and enzymic degradation

Abstract The automated synthesis of oligodeoxynucleosides containing methylphosphonate linkages has been improved by using nucleoside methylphosphonamidites as starting materials. It was found that two adjacent methylphosphonate linkages protect an oligomer from degradation by snake venom phophodiesterase or spleen phophodiesterase.

Ribozymes that cleave an RNA sequence from human immunodeficiency virus: The effect of flanking sequence on rate☆

Ribozymes designed to cleave sequences specific to viral RNA may be better antiviral agents than simple antisense oligonucleotides. High catalytic activity with the lowest possible chain length is desired for this purpose. We have synthesized several hammerhead ribozymes that cleave sequences from HIV-1 RNA. On reducing from 20 to 12 the base pairs formed with the substrate, the rate of cleavage at 37 degrees C increased 10-fold. Deletions from the stem/loop structure in the ribozyme also increased the initial rate of reaction.

Eukaryotic initiation factor 4A stimulates translation in microinjected Xenopus oocytes

The injection of heterologous mRNA into fully grown Xenopus oocytes results not only in the synthesis of the heterologous protein but also in a reciprocal decrease in the synthesis of endogenous proteins. This indicates that injected and endogenous mRNAs compete for some component which is rate-limiting for translation in oocytes. We have attempted to identify this rate-limiting translational component. We find that heterologous and homologous polysomes compete with endogenous mRNAs as effectively as naked mRNA, indicating that polysomes do not contain detectable levels of the rate-limiting factor. In addition, we have used micrococcal nuclease digestion and a mRNA-specific oligonucleotide to destroy the mRNA component of polysomes. The remaining polysome factors, when injected into oocytes, failed to stimulate translation. When several eukaryotic translation initiation factors were injected into oocytes, initiation factor 4A consistently increased general oocyte protein synthesis by about twofold. It is possible that the availability of eIF-4A in oocytes is a key factor in limiting the overall rate of protein synthesis.

Phosphoramidate, Phosphorothioate, and Methylphosphonate Analogs of Oligodeoxynucleotide : Inhibitors of Replication of Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Abstract Modified oligodeoxynucleotides complementary to RNA of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) were tested for their ability to inhibit virally induced syncytium formation and expression of viral p24 protein. The modification of oligomers include replacement of phophodiester backbone with phosphorothioate, methylphosphonate and various phosphoramidates. Cells infected for four days, then treated with the antisense oligomers also showed inhibition of viral expression.