2'-Deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) containing 5-(hydroxymethyl)cytosine (5hmC) protected with photocleavable groups (2-nitrobenzyl or 6-nitropiperonyl) were prepared and studied as substrates for the enzymatic synthesis of oligonucleotides and DNA containing a photocaged epigenetic 5hmC base. DNA probes containing photocaged or free 5hmC in the recognition sequence of restriction endonucleases were prepared and used for the study of the photorelease of caged DNA by UV or visible light at different wavelengths. The nitrobenzyl-protected dNTP was a slightly better substrate for DNA polymerases in primer extension or PCR, whereas the nitropiperonyl-protected nucleotide underwent slightly faster photorelease at 400 nm. However, both photocaged building blocks can be used in polymerase synthesis and the photorelease of 5hmC in DNA.

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Czech Academy of Sciences Flemingovo namesti 2 CZ 16610 Prague 6 Czech Republic

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Switching transcription with bacterial RNA polymerase through photocaging, photorelease and phosphorylation reactions in the major groove of DNA