Example 5
To characterize the transcription of the unnatural base pairs formed by dTPT3 and dNaM, or analogs or derivatives thereof (wherein derivatives include linker moieties), ribonucleotides and deoxynucleotides are synthesized and converted to the corresponding triphosphates or deoxyphosphoramidites, and the deoxyphosphoramidites are incorporated into DNA templates using automated DNA synthesis. Transcription experiments are conducted with 100 nM DNA substrate, 1× Takara buffer (40 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 8 mM MgCl2, 2 mM spermidine), DEPC-treated and nuclease-free sterilized water (Fisher), T7 polymerase (50 units), 20 μM each natural NTP, α-32P-ATP (2.5 μCi, MP Biomedicals), and either 5 μM TPT3TP or 5 μM NamTP. After incubation for 2 hr at 37° C., the reaction is quenched by the addition of 10 μL of gel loading solution (10 M urea, 0.05% bromophenol blue), and the reaction mixture is loaded onto a 20% polyacrylamide-7 M urea gel, subjected to electrophoresis, and analyzed by phosphorimaging. Transcription efficiency is examined by measuring (at low percent conversion) the amount of full-length product formed as a function of time.