Electrochemistry of double-stranded complexes of synthetic polyribonucleotides having interferonogenic and antiviral activity.

Double-stranded (ds) complexes of poly(C) with poly(G) and poly(G,I) were studied using differential pulse polarography (DPP) and differential pulse voltammetry at a pyrolytic graphite electrode (DPV). The complex formed by copolymer was found to be DPP inactive. On the other hand, poly(G).poly(C) yielded a small DPP peak corresponding to single-stranded (ss) poly(C). It was suggested that ss poly(C) present in the solutions of poly(G).poly(C) appeared due to the existence of segments in poly(G) during the complex-forming process in which guanine residues were unable to be hydrogen-bonded with bases in poly(C). Polynucleotide complexes investigated in this report yielded a DPV peak corresponding to electrooxidation of guanine residues, which was markedly lower than that yielded by ss polymers. Moreover, this DPV peak yielded by the complex prepared from an equimolar mixture of poly(G) and poly(C) was still markedly higher than that yielded by poly(G,I).poly(C), or by poly(G).poly(C) prepared in the excess of poly(C). The lowering of the DPV peak was explained as being particularly due to the presence of the polynucleotide segments with an intact and regular secondary structure. The results of our electrochemical analysis of the complexes investigated were compared with their biological activity reported earlier. This comparison calls attention to the fact that biological effectiveness of these biopolymers may be dependent on details of their secondary structure which may be monitored using the methods of electrochemical analysis.