Zdeněk Točík

OLIGONUCLEOTIDES WITH ISOPOLAR PHOSPHONATE INTERNUCLEOTIDE LINKAGE: A NEW PERSPECTIVE FOR ANTISENSE COMPOUNDS?

Several types of isopolar modified oligothymidylates and oligoadenylates (15 mers) with the phosphonate -O-P-CH 2-O- internucleotide linkage were prepared. The modified oligonucleotides were subjected to the study of their hybridization properties, resistance against nucleases, and the ability to elicit RNase H activity.

Structural diversity of nucleoside phosphonic acids as a key factor in the discovery of potent inhibitors of rat T-cell lymphoma thymidine phosphorylase.

Structurally diverse, sugar-modified, thymine-containing nucleoside phosphonic acids were evaluated for their ability to inhibit thymidine phosphorylase (TP, EC 2.4.2.4) purified from spontaneous T-cell lymphomas of an inbred Sprague-Dawley rat strain. From a large set of tested compounds, among them a number of pyrrolidine-based derivatives, 10 nucleotide analogues with IC(50) values below 1 microM were selected. Out of them, four compounds strongly inhibited the enzyme with IC(50) values lying in a range of 11-45 nM. These most potent compounds might be bi-substrate analogues.

Crystal and Solution Structure of 5′-O-(Guanosine-2′-O-Phosphonomethyl)Cytidine, an Isopolar Nonisosteric Phosphonate Analog Of GpC

Abstract X-Ray crystal structure of 5′-O-(guanosine-2′-O-phosphonomethyl)-cytidine (G-pcC(2′-5′)) was determined. The structural unit involves two molecules cf G-pcC(2′-5′), differing both in the conformation of the phosphonate internucleotide linkage and in the intramolecular base-plane distances (3.6 A; 3.3 A), and fourteer molecules of water. The crystal data of G-pcC(2′-5′) are discussed along with those obtained from NMR spectra.

Synthesis and Properties of ApA Analogues with Shortened Phosphonate Internucleotide Linkage

A complete series of the 2 ′–5 ′ and 3 ′–5 ′ regioisomeric types of r(ApA) and 2 ′-d(ApA) analogues with the α-hydroxy-phosphonate C3 ′-O-P-CH(OH)-C4 ″ internucleotide linkage, isopolar but non-isosteric with the phosphodiester one, were synthesized and their hybridization properties with polyU studied. Due to the chirality on the 5 ′-carbon atom of the modified internucleotide linkage bearing phosphorus and hydroxy moieties, each regioisomeric type of ApA dimer is split into epimeric pairs. To examine the role of the 5 ′-hydroxyl of the α-hydroxy-phosphonate moiety during hybridization, the appropriate r(ApA) analogues with 3 ′(2 ′)-O-P-CH2-C4 ″ linkage lacking the 5 ′-hydroxyl were synthesized. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy study on the conformation of the modified sugar-phosphate backbone, along with the hybridization measurements, revealed remarkable differences in the stability of complexes with polyU, depending on the 5 ′-carbon atom configuration. Potential usefulness of the α-hydroxy-phosphonate linkage in modified oligoribonucleotides is discussed.

Oligomerization of adenosin-5'-O-ylmethylphosphonate, an isopolar AMP analogue: evaluation of the route to short oligoadenylates.

In an attempt to prepare a library of short oligoadenylate analogues featuring both the enzyme‐stable internucleotide linkage and the 5′‐O‐methylphosphonate moiety and thus obtain a pool of potential RNase L agonists/antagonists, we studied the spontaneous polycondensation of the adenosin‐5′‐O‐ylmethylphosphonic acid (pcA), an isopolar AMP analogue, and its imidazolide derivatives employing N,N′‐dicyclohexylcarbodiimide under nonaqueous conditions and uranyl ions under aqueous conditions, respectively. The RP LC–MS analyses of the reaction mixtures per se, and those obtained after the periodate treatment, along with analyses and separations by capillary zone electrophoresis, allowed us to characterize major linear and cyclic oligoadenylates obtained. The structure of selected compounds was supported, after their isolation, by NMR spectroscopy. Ab initio calculation of the model structures simulating the AMP‐imidazolide and pcA‐imidazolide offered the explanation why the latter compound exerted, in contrast to AMP‐imidazolide, a very low stability in aqueous solutions.

CD studies of interaction of a bZIP oligopeptide model with DNA

Abstract A leucine zipper (bZIP) binding peptide BP1 was constructed based on the DNA binding sequence of the GCN4 protein, slightly modified to make it more similar to the sequence of other bZIP proteins (Jun) with related DNA binding specificity. Selfcomplementary DNA hexadecanucleotides containing modified ATF/CRE target sites were used to study peptide–DNA complex formation. Four oligonucleotides contained substitutions of two GC or AT pairs by IC pairs in the ATF/CRE target sequence. In two other oligonucleotides there was a substitution of A by I in two AT pairs (mismatch IT pairs were presumably formed in the duplex) and one oligonucleotide contained I instead of C in two base pairs (IG mismatch in the duplex). Conformation changes of BP1 that occur on complex formation were studied by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The binding of peptide BP1 to oligonucleotides is accompanied by an increase of the α-helix content, which depends strongly on the oligonucleotide sequence. The substitution of two GC pairs within the specific binding site has either none or only a small effect. However, the substitution of two AT pairs within the binding site by IC strongly decreases the specificity of binding to a level observed with an oligonucleotide containing the C/EBP binding site, differing from the ATF/CRE site at four positions (Votavova et al., J. Biomol. Struct. Dyn. 3 (1997) 587). Similar results were obtained also with an oligonucleotide containing I instead of C in two base pairs (IG mismatch in the duplex). Two oligonucleotides with two substitutions of A by I but with unchanged T in the AT pairs (IT mismatch) showed smaller decrease in the α-helix formation on peptide binding than oligonucleotides, in which the whole AT pair was replaced by IC. The effect of such a substitution depends on the position of the original AT pairs in the target sequence, but the presence of T appears to be essential for specific peptide binding.