title: Characterization of fully 2'-modified oligoribonucleotide hetero- and homoduplex hybridization and nuclease sensitivity.
abstract: The nuclease stability and melting temperatures (Tm) were compared for fully modified oligoribonucleotide sequences containing 2'-fluoro, 2'-O-methyl, 2'-O-propyl and 2'-O-pentyl nucleotides. Duplexes formed between 2' modified oligoribonucleotides and RNA have typical A-form geometry as observed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Modifications, with the exception of 2'-O-pentyl, were observed to increase the Tm of duplexes formed with complementary RNA. Modified homoduplexes showed significantly higher Tms, with the following Tm order: 2'-fluoro:2'fluoro > 2'-O-propyl:2'-O-propyl > 2'-O-methyl:2'-O- methyl > RNA:RNA > DNA:DNA. The nuclease stability of 2'-modified oligoribonucleotides was examined using snake venom phosphodiesterase (SVPD) and nuclease S1. The stability imparted by 2' modifications was observed to correlate with the size of the modification. An additional level of nuclease stability was present in oligoribonucleotides having the potential for forming secondary structure, but only for 2' modified oligoribonucleotides and not for 2'-deoxy oligoribonucleotides.
authors.affiliation: ISIS Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Cummins
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Risen
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Lesnik
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Freier
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGee
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Guinosso
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Cook
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D009841:Oligonucleotides; D012313:RNA