Formation of novel double-stranded structures formed by oligodeoxyribonucleotides carrying aromatic groups.

A novel thymidine-methyl red conjugate was synthesized and incorporated into oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs). Each thermal denaturation profile of solutions of the ODNs showed a sharp transition curves. The melting temperatures corresponding to the transition curves became higher as the salt concentrations of the solutions increased. These results may indicate the formation of duplex structures in which two strands are connected via the stacking interactions of aromatic residues that are attached to DNA strands.