[Characteristics of the interaction of restriction endonuclease BamHI with oligodeoxynucleotides]

Interaction of the restriction endonuclease BamHI with a series of synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides containing the restriction site has been studied. The enzyme is shown to specifically cut the BamHI site in hexanucleotide (I) and in non-selfcomplementary deca- and octanucleotides (II)-(IV). The data obtained led to the conclusion that BamHI reacts with duplex structures, while playing an important role in their stabilization. In 14-mer (V) BamHI cuts a non-standard half-site GAA to yield the 5'-terminal tri- (rather than hepta-) nucleotide. Hypothetical mechanisms of the process are discussed basing on conception of the role of higher DNA structures in the interaction with restriction endonucleases.