Synthesis of azobenzene-tethered DNA for reversible photo-regulation of DNA functions: hybridization and transcription

A phosphoramidite monomer bearing an azobenzene is synthesized from D-threoninol. Using this monomer, azobenzene moieties can be introduced into oligodeoxyribonucleotide (DNA) at any position on a conventional DNA synthesizer. With this azobenzene-tethered DNA, formation and dissociation of a DNA duplex can be reversibly photo-regulated by cis-trans isomerization of the azobenzene. When the azobenzene takes a trans-form, a stable duplex is formed. After isomerization of the trans-azobenzene to its cis-form by UV-light irradiation (300 nm < lambda < 400 nm), the duplex can be dissociated into two strands. The duplex is reformed on photo-induced cis-trans isomerization (lambda > 400 nm). The introduction of azobenzenes into the T7 promoter at specific positions also efficiently and reversibly photo-regulates transcription by T7-RNA polymerase. The reversible regulation can be repeated many times without causing damage to the DNA or the azobenzene moiety. These procedures take approximately 10 d to complete.