[Nucleic acids interactions with short oligonucleotide derivatives. II. Tandem of short oligonucleotides as highly...

A new approach for modification of target DNAs with tandems of derivatives of short oligonucleotides was suggested that allows highly selective modification of perfect duplexes only. At physiological temperatures, the efficiency of DNA modification by a dodecanucleotide alkylating agent was demonstrated to be the same for both perfect and mismatch-containing duplexes, whereas the tetranucleotide reagent in the presence of two flanking effectors alkylated with high selectivity the target DNA in the perfect duplex only.