The present invention relates to novel chimeric oligomeric compounds having a plurality of alternating regions having either RNA like having northern or 3'-endo conformational geometry (3'-endo regions) or DNA like having southern or C2'-endo/O4'-endo conformational geometry. The oligomeric compounds of the present invention have shown reduction in mRNA levels in multiple in vitro and in vivo assay systems and are useful, for example, for investigative and therapeutic purposes.