Triplex technology in studies of DNA damage, DNA repair, and mutagenesis

Triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) can bind to the major groove of homopurine–homopyrimidine stretches of double-stranded DNA in a sequence-specific manner through Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding to form DNA triplexes. TFOs by themselves or conjugated to reactive molecules can be used to direct sequence-specific DNA damage, which in turn results in the induction of several DNA metabolic activities. Triplex technology is highly utilized as a tool to study gene regulation, molecular mechanisms of DNA repair, recombination, and mutagenesis. In addition, TFO targeting of specific genes has been exploited in the development of therapeutic strategies to modulate DNA structure and function. In this review, we discuss advances made in studies of DNA damage, DNA repair, recombination, and mutagenesis by using triplex technology to target specific DNA sequences.

► Review of triplex technology.
► Use of triplex-forming oligonucleotides to target site-specific DNA damage.
► Mechanisms of repair of triplex-induced DNA damage.