SEQUENCE-SPECIFIC INTERACTION OF THE ANTIRETROVIRALLY ACTIVE-DRUG HYPERICIN WITH 5'ATGGCAGGATAT3' OLIGONUCLEOTIDE - A RESONANCE RAMAN-SPECTROSCOPY STUDY

The resonance Raman spectre of two oligonucleotides and their complexe s with potent antiretrovirally and antineoplastic active photochemical drug hypericin are reported. The Raman spectre of two oligonucleotide s containing twelve base pairs on addition of hypericin tone and two m olecules per one oligonucleotide) were compared. The first one contain s the first nine base pairs of the ''rev'' gene coming from HIV genome with three base pairs added to stabilize the duplex (5'ATGGCAGGATAT3' ) and the second one consists of the same content of the nucleotide ba ses but in changed sequence order which serves as a control sequence ( 5'ACGTGATGATGA3'). Differences in the spectra of the ''rev'' gene sequ ence and control sequence in interaction with the drug indicate that: i) the AG and GA nucleotide doublers are structurally, specific target s for hypericin and ii) the hypericin interaction with 5'AG3' target i s stronger than with 5'GA3' one.