Ambiguous base pairing of the purine analogue 1-(2-deoxy-beta-D- ribofuranosyl)-imidazole-4-carboxamide during PCR

In principle the hydrogen bonding capacities of 1-(2-deoxy-beta-D-ribofuranosyl)-imidazole-4-carboxamide (dY), and its N-propyl derivative (dYPr), allow them to pair to all four deoxynucleosides. Their triphosphate derivatives (dYTP and dYPrTP) are preferentially incorporated as dATP analogues in a PCR reaction. However, once incorporated into a DNA template their ambiguous hydrogen bonding potential gave rise to misincorporation at frequencies of approximately 3 x 10(-2) per base per amplification. Most of the substitutions were transitions resulting from rotation about the carboxamide bond when part of the template. Between 11-15% of transversions were noted implying rotation of purine or imidazole moieties about the glycosidic bond. As part of a DNA template, dYPr behaved in the same way as dY, despite its propyl moiety. These deoxyimidazole derivatives are among the most radical departures from the canonical bases used so far as substrates in PCR and could be used to generate mutant gene libraries.