Replication of O4-methylthymine-containing oligonucleotides: effect of 3' and 5' flanking bases on formation and extension of O4-methylthymine . guanine basepairs.

Four 25-mer oligonucleotides containing m4T(T*) with the 3'-->5' sequences A-T*-A, A-T*-C, G-T*-G and G-T*-C, together with four oligonucleotides containing the same sequences with unmodified T, were studied for the effect of the immediate 5' and 3' bases flanking m4T on in vitro replication. Under enzyme-limiting conditions, all m4T-containing oligomers showed a varying sequence-dependent blockage at the base 3' to m4T. However, with time and high concentrations of dNTP's, full replication beyond m4T did occur with Klenow fragment (Kf), although substantial blockage remained, particularly in the case when the sequence was 3'-A-T*-A-5'. The extent of blockage at the base 3' to m4T, compared to complete replication using Kf, followed the order A-T*-A > A-T*-C >> G-T*-C > or = G-T*-G. Two other DNA polymerases, HIV-RT and Sequenase, which, unlike Kf, do not have 3' proofreading activity differ, agreed with data obtained with Kf. We conclude that the extent of complete replication of m4T-containing oligomers is primarily a function of the 3' flanking base with a lesser effect of the 5' base and requires specific dGTP insertion opposite m4T. These data suggest that a 5' G . C pair favors the formation of the following T*-G and this latter step is rate-limiting. However, once a T*-G pair is formed, rapid elongation to full length transcripts occurs.