The influence of the target structure on the efficiency of alkylation of single-stranded DNA with the reactive derivatives of antisense oligonucleotides.

Site-directed alkylation of three oligonucleotide targets: 41-mer (hairpin structure), 22-mer (loop part of this hairpin) and 10-mer (part of the loop) with 5'-p-(N-2-chloroethyl-N-methylamino)benzylamides of oligonucleotides complementary to the loop region was studied. Thermodynamic parameters of the interaction were estimated using the dependence of the limit modification extent on the reagent concentration at several temperatures. The stability of the complex increases significantly in the set: 302-mer carrying above hairpin, 41-mer, 22-mer, the data for 22-mer and 10-mer being nearly identical. This indicates significant influence of the loop supporting structure on the interaction with antisense reagents.