NONSEQUENCE-SPECIFIC INHIBITION OF BACTERIAL LUMINESCENCE BY PHOSPHOROTHIOATE OLIGODEOXYRIBONUCLEOTIDES

To evaluate the effect of synthetic DNA oligomers on regulation of bac terial genes in vivo, we tested 63 oligomers of variable length and ch emistry for their ability to selectively suppress light production in the bio-luminescent marine organism, Vibrio fischeri, Phosphodiester, phosphorothioate, and mixed backbone oligomers were designed to be lux gene targeted or nontargeted (negative) controls. Although significan t suppression of luminescence was observed, most notably with the phos phorothioate oligomers, there was no correlation between inhibitory ac tivity and oligomer sequence, The phosphorothioate oligomer that was m ost potent for inhibition of luminescence in bacterial culture had no effect on the; activity of purified luciferase, Mechanisms other than sequence-specific inhibition of gene expression or direct interaction with luciferase are discussed.