Site-specific synthesis of oligonucleotides containing malondialdehyde adducts of deoxyguanosine and deoxyadenosine via a postsynthetic modification strategy.

Malondialdehyde (MDA) and its reactive equivalent, base propenal, are products of oxidative damage to lipids and DNA, respectively; they are mutagenic in bacterial and mammalian systems, and MDA is carcinogenic in rats. MDA adducts of deoxyguanosine (M1dG), deoxyadenosine (OPdA), and deoxycytidine (OPdC) have been characterized. We have developed site-specific syntheses of M1dG and OPdA adducted oligonucleotides that rely on a postsynthetic modification strategy. This work provides an alternative route to the M1dG adducted oligonucleotide and, to date, the only viable strategy for the site-specific synthesis of OPdA-modified oligonucleotides. The stability of the modified oligonucleotides was examined by UV thermal melting studies (Tm). In contrast to the M1dG adduct, OPdA caused very little change in the Tm.