Abstract
The synthesis and characterization of diastereomeric dodecanucleotides, d[GATCp(S)TCGAGATC], containing recognition sequence of the XhoI restriction endonuclease with a phosphorothioate internucleotidic linkage the cleavage site are described. Rp and Sp form of diastereomerically pure dinucleoside phosphorothioates d[Cp(S)T] were presynthesized and used for the addition to the growing oligonucleotide chain as a block. The stereochemistry of dinucleoside phosphorothioate was assigned by 31P NMR spectroscopy, enzyme digestion, and reverse-phase HPLC. XhoI restriction endonuclease cut only Rp diastereomer d[GATCp(S))TCGAGATC]. The rate of hydrolysis is slower than that of the unmodified dodecamer d[GATCTCGAGATC]. The phosphorothioate nucleotide is using for determination of the stereochemical course of the XhoI catalyzed reaction.