Biological activities of phosphodiester linkage isomers of 2-5A

To determine the relative importance of the 2',5'-phosphodiester bond of 2-5A in its binding to and activation of the 2-5A-dependent ribonuclease (RNase L, RNase F), a number of phosphodiester linkage isomers of 2-5A were prepared. These isomers were obtained either by lead ion-catalyzed polymerization of adenosine 5'-phosphorimidazolidate or by T4 polynucleotide kinase-catalyzed 5'-phosphorylation of adenylyl(3' leads to 5')adenylyl(3' leads to 5')adenosine followed by reaction of the corresponding phosphorimidazolidates with tri(n-butylammonium)pyrophosphate. The following 2-5A isomers thus were prepared: ppp5'A2'p5'A3'p5'A, ppp5'A3'p5'A2'p5'A, ppp5'A3'p5'A3'p5'A("3-5A"), ppp5'A2'p5'A3'p5'A2'p5'A,and ppp5'A3'p5'A2'p5'-A2'p5'A. The ability of these isomeric 2-5As to interact with the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease was ascertained by three different criteria: (i) ability to prevent the protein synthesis inhibitory effects of 2-5A, (ii) activity as an inhibitor of translation in encephalomyocarditis RNA-programmed L cell extracts, and (iii) ability to prevent binding of the radiolabeled probe, ppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A3'[32P]p5'Cp, to the endonuclease of L cell extracts. In certain experiments, degradation of oligonucleotide was minimized or eliminated by altering assay conditions, providing alternate phosphodiesterase substrates, or by using purified endoribonuclease of Ehrlich ascites cells. By all criteria, replacement of 2',5'-bond by a 3',5'-bond led to a substantial decrease in biological activity. Generally, replacement of just one 2',5'-phosphodiester bond with a 3',5'-linkage led to at least a one order of magnitude loss of activity. In accord with this trend, ppp5'A3'p5'A3'p5'A(3-5A) was greater than 10,000 less active than 2-5A in binding to the endonuclease or as an inhibitor of protein synthesis.     

Synthesis and biological activity of 5'-capped derivatives of 5'-triphosphoadenylyl(2'----5')adenylyl(2'----5')adenosine

The oligonucleotides A5'pp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A and A5'ppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A were prepared by reaction of AMP or ADP, respectively, with the 5'-(phosphoimidazolidate) of A2'p5'A2'p5'A. A5'pppp5'A2'(p5'A)n (n = 1-3) were synthesized by reaction of p5'A2'(p5'A)n (n = 1-3) with adenosine 5'-trimetaphosphate. All structures were confirmed by enzyme digestion and 1H and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The products A5'pppp5'A2'p5'A and A5'pppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A were found to be identical with two of the products of the 2-5A synthetase catalyzed reaction of Ap4A with ATP, thus confirming the structural assignments made by earlier investigators. In extracts of mouse L cells programmed with encephalomyocarditis virus RNA, A5'pppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A and A5'pppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A were equipotent with 2-5A itself as inhibitors of translation. The oligomers A5'ppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A and A2'pppp5'A2'p5'A were about 100 times less active than 2-5A, and A5'pp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A was without translational inhibitory activity. When affinity for the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease was determined (by displacement of 2-5A[32P]pCp from endonuclease), all of the analogues, as well as 2-5A itself, had similar affinities for the endonuclease except for A5'pppp5'A2'p5'A, which was bound approximately 100 times less effectively. Under conditions of the radiobinding assay, A5'pppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A was degraded (t1/2 = 2 h) to ATP, ADP, AMP, ppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A, and p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Phosphorylation of 2-5A core 5'-diphosphate to 2-5A in mouse L cell extracts

When added to extracts of mouse L cells containing ATP and an energy regenerating system, the 5'-diphosphate of 2-5A core, pp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A, as well as a bromoadenylate analog, pp5' (br8A)2'p5'(br8A)2'p5'(br8A), can be phosphorylated to the corresponding 5'-triphosphate, ppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A and ppp5'(br8A)2'p5'(br8A)2'p5(br8A), respectively. The extent of this conversion was about 0.5% when the concentration of 5'-diphosphate was about 10(-4) M. Thus, although previous studies have shown that the 5'diphosphate, pp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A, can activate the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease, this may be related to a phosphorylation reaction in the crude cell extracts employed in these studies and may not represent a true ability of such a 5'-diphosphate to activate directly the endonuclease.     

Synthesis and biological activity of tubercidin analogues of ppp5'A2'p(5'A2'p)n5'A

A series of tubercidin (7-deazaadenosine) analogues of 2-5A of the general formula p5'(c7A)2'p[5'(c7A)-2'p]n5'(c7A) (n = 0-5) were prepared by lead ion catalyzed polymerization of the 5'-phosphoroimidazolidate of tubercidin. Through the corresponding imidazolidates, these oligonucleotide 5'-monophosphates were converted to the 5'-triphosphates. All reported structures were corroborated by enzyme digestion and 1H or 31P nuclear magnetic resonance. When evaluated for its ability to bind to the 2-5 A-dependent endonuclease of mouse L cells, the tubercidin analogue of trimeric 2-5A, namely, ppp5'(c7A)2'p5'(c7A)2'p5'(c7A), and the corresponding tetramer were bound as effectively as 2-5A itself; nonetheless, it and the corresponding tetramer, ppp5'-(c7A)2'p5'(c7A)2'p5'(c7A)2'p5'(c7A), failed to stimulate the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease as judged by its inability to inhibit translation in extracts of mouse L cells programmed with encephalomyocarditis virus RNA and to give rise to ribosomal RNA cleavage in the same cell system under conditions where 2-5A showed activity at 10(-9) M. The trimer, ppp5'(c7A)2'p5'(c7A)2'p5'(c7A), was an antagonist of 2-5A action in the L cell extract. In the lysed rabbit reticulocyte system, both the trimeric and tetrameric tubercidin 2-5A analogues were bound to the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease as well as 2-5A, but in this case, the tetramer triphosphate, ppp5'(c7A)2'p5'(c7A)2'p5'(c7A)2'p5'(c7A), was just as potent an inhibitor of translation as 2-5A tetramer triphosphate. Moreover, this inhibition was prevented by the established 2-5A antagonist p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

pppA2''p5A'' blocks vesicular stomatitis virus replication in intact cells.

pppA2'p5'A blocked the production of infectious vesicular stomatitis virus in HeLa cells. When this compound was present from the beginning of infection, a selective inhibitory effect was observed in viral protein synthesis. Thus, cellular translation was not affected even after 10 h of incubation with this compound, and the bulk of viral proteins was not synthesized. However, this effect was not observed with ATP, GTP, or the core A2'p5'A. The step blocked by pppA2'p5'A is located early during virus infection, but adsorption, entry, and virus uncoating seemed to be unaffected by this compound. Analysis of the antiviral spectrum of pppA2'p5'A indicated that it is active against poliovirus, encephalomyocarditis virus, and Semliki Forest virus and shows no effect against herpes simplex virus type 1 and adenovirus type 5.     

Respective role of each of the purine N-6 amino groups of 5'-O-triphosphoryladenylyl(2'----5')adenylyl(2----5')adenosine in binding to and activation of RNase L

We have synthesized a series of 2-5A (ppp5'-A2'p5'A2'p5'A) analogs in which each adenosine residue has been sequentially replaced by inosine: viz., ppp5'I2'p5'A2'p5'A, ppp5'A2'p5'I2'p5'A, and ppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'I. These transformations enabled us to delineate the role of each of the three purine N-6 amino groups of 2-5A in determining oligonucleotide binding to and activation of the 2-5A-dependent endoribonuclease, RNase L. With the RNase L activity of both mouse L cells and human Daudi lymphoblastoid cells, we found that the N-6 amino group of the first adenosine nucleotide residue (from the 5'-terminus) is of crucial importance in determining binding to the endonuclease; however, removal of the N-6 amino moieties of the second or third adenosine nucleotide residues resulted in only a minimal decrease in binding to the endonuclease. On the other hand, conversion of the third adenosine residue to inosine effected a dramatic (10,000-fold compared to 2-5A) loss in ability to activate the nuclease; however, execution of the same N-6 amino group conversion at either the first or second adenosine residue did not cause a major change in nuclease activation ability when the accompanying decreased endonuclease binding was considered. These results clearly demonstrate that the N-6 amino group of the first adenosine residue of 2-5A is critical in RNase L binding whereas the N-6 amino function of the third adenosine residue of 2-5A is crucial for the activation of RNase L.     

Regulation of the 2',5'-oligoadenylate level in mouse L cells

A study of pH dependence for ppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A hydrolysis in interferon treated and untreated mouse L-cells extracts led to the detection of two types of the 2'-phosphodiesterase activities: interferon dependent and interferon resistant. Several pH-optima were observed for hydrolysis of ppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A in cell extracts after their treatment with non-ionic detergent NP-40 or their differential centrifugation. The 2'-phosphodiesterase activity was found in the membrane fraction as well as in the cytoplasmic one. The presence of several pH-optima for 2'-phosphodiesterase activity in L-cells and changes of the level of this activity depending on the growth stage of cells and time of their interferon treatment indicate the complicated character of the regulation of 2'-5'-oligoadenylate's concentration and localization. The results obtained suggest that in mouse L-cells several 2'-phosphodiesterases or one enzyme in different forms may be present.     

Cordycepin analogs of ppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A (2-5A) inhibit protein synthesis through activation of the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease

Analogs of the triphosphate 2'-5'-linked adenylate trimer (ppp5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A, called 2-5A) which contain 3'-deoxyadenosine (cordycepin) instead of adenosine either in positions one and two, or in all three positions, are 10-100-fold less potent than is parent 2-5A in inhibition of protein synthesis in intact cells, when utilizing calcium co-precipitation techniques to introduce the 5'-triphosphate oligonucleotides into the cells. That the inhibition of protein synthesis was a consequence of activation of the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease by the 3'-deoxyadenosine analogs of 2-5A was demonstrated in obtaining the ribosomal RNA cleavage pattern that is characteristic of endonuclease activation by parent 2-5A. Additional results (i.e. lack of activity by the dimer species ppp5'(3'dA)2'p5'-(3'dA) or the monomer 3'dA) as well as kinetic analysis both in intact cells and in cell-free extracts provided further evidence that the inhibition of protein synthesis observed with these 3'-deoxyadenosine 2-5A analogs was not due to their degradation to the antimetabolite monomer unit 3'-deoxyadenosine.     

Respective role of each of the purine N7 nitrogens of 5'-O-triphosphoadenylyl(2'----5')adenylyl(2'----5')adenosine in binding to and activation of the RNase L of mouse cells

Through a combination of chemical and enzymatic approaches a series of sequence-specific tubercidin-substituted ppp5'A2'p(5'A2'p)n5'A (n = 1 to about 10; 2-5A) analogues were generated. In addition to the previously developed methodology of Imai and Torrence [Imai, J., & Torrence, P.F. (1985) J. Org. Chem. 50, 1418-1420], a new approach to synthesis of 2',5'-linked oligonucleotides utilized adenosine in 3',5' linkage as a precursor to the targeted 5'-terminus of the desired product. For instance, A3'p5'A could be condensed under conditions of lead ion catalysis with tubercidin 5'-phosphate to give A3'p5'A2'p5'(c7A). Treatment with the 3',5'-specific nuclease P1 led to p5'A2'p5'(c7A). The combined use of the above procedures led to the synthesis of p5'(c7A)2'p5'A2'p5'A, p5'A2'p5'(c7A)2'p5'A, p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'(c7A), and p5'A2p5'(c7A)2'p5'(c7A), which were converted to their corresponding 5'-triphosphates by the usual methods. Evaluation of these analogues for their ability to bind to and activate the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease (RNase L) of mouse L cells showed that there were small changes (less than or equal to 10-fold) in the ability of the four tubercidin analogues to bind to RNase L. However, whenever the first and/or third adenosine nucleotide units were replaced by tubercidin, a dramatic decrease in ability to activate RNase L occurred. Only the second (from the 5'-terminus) adenosine residue could be replaced by tubercidin without any effect on RNase L activation ability.     

Antiviral activity of a chemically stabilized 2-5A analog upon microinjection into HeLa cells

2-5A[ppp(A2'p)n5'A] has been implicated as a mediator in the antiviral action of interferon. Its direct evaluation as an indicator of virus replication is hampered by two limitations: its inability to penetrate intact cells, and its rapid intracellular degradation by (2'-5')phosphodiesterase. These problems could be overcome by using a microinjection technique whereby a phosphodiesterase-resistant analog of 2-A, in which the 2'-terminals adenosine residue is replaced by 2-(9-adenyl)-6-hydroxy-methyl-4-hexylmorpholine, was injected into individual HeLa cells before infection with mengovirus or vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). This comparative assay with two representatives of different virus classes in a single experimental system pointed to the high sensitivity of VSV to inhibition by 2-5A oligonucleotides, in contrast with the low sensitivity of mengovirus. Microinjection of the hexylmorpholine 2-5A analog led to a much greater reduction in mengovirus yield than did microinjection of 2-5A itself.     

3-Deazaadenosine analogues of p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A: synthesis, stereochemistry, and the roles of adenine ring nitrogen-3 in the interaction with RNase L

Sequence-specific 3-deazaadenosine (c(3)A)-substituted analogues of trimeric 2',5'-oligoadenylate, p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A, were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to activate human RNase L (EC 3.1.2.6) aiming at the elucidation of the nitrogen-3 role in this biochemical process. Substitution of either 5'-terminal or 2'-terminal adenosine with c(3)A afforded the respective analogues p5'(c(3)A)2'p5'A2'p5'A and p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'(c(3)A) that were as effective as the natural tetramer itself as activators of RNase L (EC(50)=1nM). In contrast, p5'A2'p5'(c(3)A)2'p5'A showed diminished RNase L activation ability (EC(50)=10nM). The extensive conformational analysis of the c(3)A-substituted core trimers versus the parent natural core trimer by the (1)H and (13)C NMR, and CD spectroscopy displayed close stereochemical similarity between the natural core trimer and (c(3)A)2'p5'A2'p5'A and A2'p5'A2'p5'(c(3)A) analogues, thereby strong evidences for the syn base orientation about the glycosyl bond of the c(3)A residue of the latter were found. On the contrary, an analogue A2'p5'(c(3)A)2'p5'A displayed rather essential deviations from the spatial arrangement of the parent natural core trimer.     

Assay of 2',5'-oligoadenylate phosphodiesterase activity in mouse L-cell extracts

A rapid and convenient assay for adenylyl(2' leads to 5')adenosine(A2'p5'A) or adenylyl(3' leads to 5')adenosine(A3'p5'A) phosphodiesterase activities is described. The dinucleotides A3'p5'A and A2'p5'A were labeled to a high specific activity by means of a catalytic-exchange procedure. Degradation studies of each of these labeled dinucleotides showed an asymmetrical distribution of label between the two adenine bases. Enzymatic degradation of [3H]A3'p5'A or [3H]A2'p5'A could be quantitated by first digesting the reaction products with bacterial alkaline phosphatase and then adding a slurry of DEAE-Sephadex. Under conditions described, adenosine did not adsorb to the resin, whereas dinucleotides as well as AMP did adsorb. As a consequence, when liquid scintillation fluid was added to the DEAE-Sephadex reaction mixture slurry, the radioactivity of the dinucleotides and AMP was severely quenched. This permitted a direct estimation of the amount of adenosine liberated during the phosphodiesterase degradation and subsequent alkaline phosphatase digestion. This method was applied to the measurement of A2'p5'A degrading activities in extracts of mouse L cells. Extracts from control mouse L cells were as active in degrading A2'p5'A as extracts from interferon pretreated cells.     

Only one 3'-hydroxyl group of ppp5' A2'p5'A2'p5' A (2-5A) is required for activation of the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease

To investigate the relative importance of each of the ribose 3'-hydroxyl groups of 2-5A (ppp5' A2'p5'A2'-p5' A) in determining binding to and activation of the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease (RNase L), the 3'-hydroxyl functionality of each adenosine moiety of 2-5A trimer triphosphate was sequentially replaced by hydrogen. The analog in which the 5'-terminal adenosine was replaced by 3'-deoxyadenosine (viz. ppp5'(3'dA)-2'p5' A2'p5' A) was bound to RNase L as well as 2-5A itself and was only 3 times less potent than 2-5A as an activator of RNase L. On the other hand, when the second adenosine unit was replaced by 3'-deoxyadenosine (viz. ppp5' A2'p5'(3'dA)2'p5' A), binding to RNase L was decreased by a factor of eight relative to 2-5A trimer and, even more dramatically, there was a 500-1000-fold drop in ability to activate the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease. Finally, when the 3'-hydroxyl substituent was converted to hydrogen in the 2'-terminal residue of 2-5A, a significant increase in both binding and activation ability occurred. We conclude that only the 3'-hydroxyl group of the second (from the terminus) nucleotide residue of 2-5A is needed for effective activation of RNase L.     

2',5'-Phosphodiesterase activity depends upon the presence of a 3'-hydroxyl moiety in the penultimate position of the oligonucleotide substrate

3'-Deoxyadenosine (3'dA, cordycepin)-substituted analogs of 2-5A core 5'-monophosphate (p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A) were examined for their sensitivity toward degradation by the 2'-phosphodiesterase activity in cytoplasmic extracts of mouse L cells. The analogs, p5'(3'dA)-2'p5'A2'p5'A, p5'(3'dA)2'p5'A2'p5'(3'dA) and p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'(3'dA) were degraded at a rate comparable to p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A itself. On the other hand, under the assay conditions examined p5'A2'p5'(3'dA)2'p5'A, like p5'(3'dA)2'p5'(3'dA)2'p5'(3'dA), was completely resistant to degradation. The data imply that sensitivity to the 2',5'-phosphodiesterase activity of mouse L cells requires the presence of 3'-hydroxyl moiety in the penultimate nucleotide.     

2-Methyladenosine-Substituted 2',5'-oligoadenylates: conformations, 2-5A binding and catalytic activities with human ribonuclease L

2-Methyladenosine-substituted analogues of 2-5A, p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'(me2A), p5'(me2A)2'p5'A2'p5'A, and p5'(me2A) 2'p5'(me2A)2'pS'(me2A), were prepared via a modification of a lead ion-catalyzed ligation reaction. These 5'-monophosphates were subsequently converted into the corresponding 5'-triphosphates. Both binding and activation of human recombinant RNase L by various 2-methyladenosine-substituted 2-5A analogues were examined. Among the 2-5A analogues, p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'(me2A) showed the strongest binding affinity and was as effective as 2-5A itself as an activator of RNase L. The CD spectra of both p5'(me2A)2'p5'A2'p5'A and p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'(me2A) were superimposable on that of p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A, indicative of an anti orientation about the base-glycoside bonds as in naturally occurring 2-5A.     

Novel 2'',5''-oligoadenylates synthesized in interferon-treated, vaccinia virus-infected cells.

2-5A[ppp(A2'p)nA] and related materials accumulate to greater than micromolar concentrations in vaccinia virus-infected HeLa cells and in interferon-treated, vaccinia-infected HeLa, CV1, and L929 cells even when virus replication is not inhibited. A variably complex mixture of authentic 2-5A (n = 2 to 4), nonphosphorylated cores [(A2'p)nA; n = 2 to 5], and additional compounds of unknown structure was observed.     

Rapid chemical synthesis and circular dichroism properties of some 2''-5''-linked oligoriboadenylates.

Specific synthesis of some oligoadenylates including A2'p5'A2'p5'Ap(2'), the 2'-phosphorylated oligoribonucleotide core of the recently discovered protein synthesis inhibitor pppA2'p5'A2'p5'A is described using a novel solid-phase method. The CD spectra of A2'p5'Ap(2'), A2'p5'A2'p5'Ap(2') and A2'p5'A2'p5'A (derived by treatment of the phosphorylated synthetic trimer with E. coli alkaline phosphatase) are presented. Comparison of the latter spectrum with that of A2'p5'A2'p5'A obtained similarly from a biologically derived sample of pppA2'p5'A2'p5'A provides further evidence that this molecule is in fact the first naturally-occurring 2'-5'-linked oligoribonucleotide.     

Analogue inhibitor of 2-5A action: effect on the interferon-mediated inhibition of encephalomyocarditis virus replication.

Chemically synthesised CH3Sp(A2'p)2A2'pp3'OCH3 has been used to assess the importance of the ppp(A2'p)nA (n greater than or equal to 2: 2-5A) system in the antiviral action of interferon against encephalomyocarditis virus (EMC). It inhibits activation of the 2-5A-dependent RNase by 2-5A in intact mouse L929 cells and cell-free systems. In interferon-treated, EMC-infected L929 cells it inhibits 2-5A-mediated rRNA cleavage and partially restores EMC RNA synthesis and virus yield. Activation of the 2-5A-dependent RNase must, therefore, play some part in interferon action against the growth of EMC virus in such cells.     

Mechanism of interferon action. Effect of double-stranded RNA and the 5'-O-monophosphate form of 2',5'-oligoadenylate on the inhibition of reovirus mRNA translation in vitro

The effect of reovirus double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and 5'-O-monophosphate form of 2',5'-oligoadenylate (pA(2'p5'A)2) on the translation and degradation of reovirus messenger RNA and on protein phosphorylation was examined in extracts prepared from interferon-treated mouse L fibroblasts. The following results were obtained. 1) The enhanced degradation of reovirus [3H]mRNA observed in the presence of either dsRNA or the 5'-O-triphosphate form of 2',5'-oligoadenylate (pppA(2'p5'A)3) was completely blocked by pA(2'p5'A)2. 2) The dsRNA-dependent phosphorylation of protein P1 and the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF-2) depended in a similar manner upon the concentration of dsRNA and was optimal at low dsRNA concentrations (0.1 to 1 microgram/ml). However, high concentrations of dsRNA (greater than 100 micrograms/ml) drastically reduced the phosphorylation of both P1 and eIF-2 alpha. Neither P1 nor eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation was affected by either pA(2'p5'A)2 or pppA(2'p5'A)3. 3) The translation of reovirus mRNA in vitro was inhibited by the addition of either low concentrations of dsRNA or pppA(2'p5'A)3. Whereas pA(2'p5'A)2 completely reversed the pppA(2'p5'A)3-mediated inhibition of translation, the inhibition mediated by low concentrations of dsRNA was only partially reversed by pA(2'p5'A)2. Under conditions where the pppA-(2'p5'A)3mediated degradation of reovirus mRNA was blocked, the translation of reovirus mRNA was still inhibited by low but not by high concentrations of dsRNA in a manner that correlated with the activation of P1 and eIF-2 alpha phosphorylation. These results suggest that the pppA(2'p5'A)n-dependent ribonuclease is not required and that protein phosphorylation may indeed be sufficient for the dsRNA-dependent inhibition of reovirus mRNA translation in cell-free systems derived from interferon-treated mouse fibroblasts.     

Purine 8-substitution modulates the ribonuclease L binding and activation abilities of 2',5'-oligoadenylates

Analogues of the 2',5'-linked adenylate trimers monophosphate (p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'A) containing 8-hydroxypropyladenosine, 8-bromoadenosine, and 8-hydroxyadenosine in the first, second, and third nucleotide positions were tested for their ability to bind to and activate RNase L of mouse L cells. p5'AHPr2'p5'AHPr2'p5'AHPr (pAHPr3) (1b) and p5'ABr2'p5'ABr2'p5'ABr (pABr3) (1d) were markedly decreased in ability to bind to the 2-5A dependent endonuclease. On the other hand, analogue of the 2',5'-linked adenylate trimer monophosphate substituted by 8-hydroxyadenosine in the first, second, and third nucleotide position was bound about as well as parent 2-5A [pppA(2'p5'A)2] (p3A3) (1e) to RNase L. Additionally, p5'AOH2'p5'AOH2'p5'AOH (pAOH3) (1c) was as active as parent 2-5A in the rRNA cleavage assay, while pAHPr3 (1b) and pABr3 (1d) were devoid of activity. The 8-substituted analogues of 2-5A were more resistant to the degradation by the (2',5') phosphodiesterase. Finally of particular interest was monophosphate, pAOH3 (1c) which possessed nearly 100% of the translation inhibitory activity of 2-5A triphosphate itself. These results suggest that changes in the base-sugar torsion angles of 2-5A may modulate both binding to and activation of mouse L cell RNase L.