Inhibition of Reverse Transcriptase-Mediated cDNA Synthesis by Antisense Oligonucleotides

Abstract

Unmodified and modified (phosphorothioate) oligonucleotides inhibit cDNA synthesis by reverse transcriptase (RT). Antisense oligonucleotide/RNA hybrids specifically arrest primer extension. However, phosphorothioate oligomer, inhibit polymerization by binding to the AMV RT or MMLV RT, rather than to the template RNA. There was no competitive binding of the phosphorothioate oligomer to the HIV RT during reverse transcription.