Inhibition of DNA binding proteins by oligonucleotide-directed triple helix formation

Oligonucleotides that bind to duplex DNA in a sequence-specific manner by triple helix formation offer an approach to the experimental manipulation of sequence-specific protein binding. Micromolar concentrations of pyrimidine oligodeoxyribonucleotides are shown to block recognition of double helical DNA by prokaryotic modifying enzymes and a eukaryotic transcription factor at a homopurine target site. Inhibition is sequence-specific. Oligonucleotides containing 5-methylcytosine provide substantially more efficient inhibition than oligonucleotides containing cytosine. The results have implications for gene-specific repression by oligonucleotides or their analogs.