Complementary addressed modification and cleavage of a single stranded DNA fragment with alkylating oligonucleotide derivatives.

A single stranded DNA fragment was modified with alkylating derivatives of oligonucleotides complementary to a certain nucleotide sequences in the fragment. The derivatives carried aromatic 2-chloroethylamino groups at their 3'- or 5'-terminal nucleotide residues. Some of the derivatives carried both alkylating group and intercalating phenazine group which stabilized complementary complexes. It was found that these oligonucleotide derivatives modify the DNA fragment in a specific way near the target complementary nucleotide sequences, and the DNA fragment can be cleaved at the alkylated nucleotides positions. Alkylating derivatives carrying phenazine groups were found to be the most efficient in reaction with the DNA fragment.