Inhibition of restriction endonucleases by DNA sequence‐reading ligands

DNA sequence-reading bisquaternary ammonium heterocycles SN 6570, SN 6999, SN 6053, SN 6132, SN 6131, SN 18071 and the non-specific binders SN 6113, SN 5754, SN 6324, and SN 4094 influence the enzymatic activity of restriction endonucleases in different manners. A prerequisite for sequence-specific ligand interaction is a dAdT run of at least four base pairs. The sequence-specific binders inhibit the cleavage activity of restriction endonucleases EcoRI, SspI, and Dral with four and six dAdT base pairs in their restriction sites, while the activity of SalI and BamHI with less than four dAdT base pairs in their recognition motifs remains unaffected. On the contrary, the non-specific binding DNA ligands are incapable of suppressing the digestion for restriction nucleases under research. These results are in line with our footprint data. The inhibitory effect is independent of the number of cleavage sites in DNA and of whether the macromolecule exists in the ccc or lds conformation. Sequence specific binding of the ligand SN 6053 in close vicinity to the cleavage sites of restriction endonuclease Dral also interferes with enzyme inhibition.