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Poly(d2NH2A-dT): two-dimensional NMR shows a B to A conversion in high salt.

Poly(d2NH2A-dT) forms a structure in high salt that is clearly distinct from the B form present in low salt. Two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect (2D NOE) NMR spectra establish that the conformation of the high-salt form is not Z. Correlations of observed cross peaks in the 2D NOE spectra and estimated interproton distances of the common DNA conformations are consistent only with an A form or closely related structure. This interpretation is also consistent with the negative circular dichroic band observed in the high-salt form of poly(d2NH2A-dT) and in A-form ribohomopolymer helices containing 2NH2A.

Kinetics↗

Binding of ethidium ion to left-handed Z-RNA induces a cooperative transition to right-handed RNA at the intercalation site.

The equilibrium binding of the ethidium cation (Etd+) to the right-handed A-form of poly-[r(C-G)], the B-form of poly[d(C-G)], and the left-handed Z-forms of Br-poly[r(C-G)] and Br-poly[d(C-G)] was investigated in 0.22 M NaCl by optical methods. Scatchard analysis indicates that Etd+ intercalates into right-handed forms of poly[r(C-G)] and poly[d(C-G)] in a noncooperative manner. Correlation of Etd+ absorbance binding isotherms and polynucleotide circular dichroism data indicates that drug binding to Br-poly[r(C-G) and Br-poly[d(C-G)] results in cooperative conversion from left-handed Z-forms to right-handed intercalated conformations. Approximate stoichiometries necessary to induce the left- to right-handed transitions are 1 Etd+/9 base pairs (bp) for Z-RNA and 1 Etd+/6 bp for Z-DNA. The apparent limiting binding stoichiometries are approximately 1 Etd+/3 bp for RNA and 1 Etd+/2 bp for DNA. The equilibrium binding constants for binding to the right-handed forms decrease in the order Br-poly[d(C-G)], Br-poly[r(C-G)], poly[d(C-G)], and poly[r(C-G)]. Thermodynamic parameters are obtained by van't Hoff analysis of Etd+ absorbance thermal dissociation data. Enthalpy values for all four polynucleotides are negative and of similar magnitude. Negative entropy values indicate that the binding processes are primarily enthalpically driven.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗

Motional dynamics of a buried tryptophan reveals the presence of partially structured forms during denaturation of barstar.

A double mutant of the single-domain protein barstar having a single tryptophan (W53) was made by mutating the remaining two tryptophans (W38 and W44) into phenylalanines. W53 is buried in the core of barstar. Time-resolved fluorescence of the mutant barstar (W38FW44F) showed that W53 has a single fluorescence lifetime in the native (N) state and has three lifetimes in the molten globule-like low-pH (A) form. Quenching of fluorescence by either KI or acrylamide showed that W53 is solvent inaccessible in the N-state and fairly accessible in the A-form. The denaturation of W38FW44F by guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCI) was monitored by several probes: near-UV and far-UV circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence intensity, and steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy. While the unfolding transitions observed through CD and fluorescence intensity coincided with each other (midpoint approximately 1.8 M GdnHCI), the transition observed through the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy was markedly different from others. Initially, the anisotropy increased with the increase in the concentration of GdnHCI and decreased subsequently. The midpoint of this titration was 2.2 M GdnHCI. Picosecond time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy showed that W38FW44F has a single rotational correlation time of 4.1 ns in the native (N) state and 1.5 as in the unfoled (U) state (6 M GdnHCI). These could be explained as being due to the absence of motional freedom of W53 in the N-state and the presence of rotational freedom in the U-state. In the intermediate concentration region (1.8-3.0 M GdnHCI), the anisotropy decays showed at least two coorrelation times, approximately 1 and 6-12 ns. These two correlation times are ascribed to partially structured forms leading to hindered rotation of W53. Thus, the usefulness of time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy in detecting partially folded structures is demonstrated.

Bacterial Proteins↗

NMR structure of a bacteriophage T4 RNA hairpin involved in translational repression.

A high-resolution structure of a 16-nucleotide bacteriophage T4 RNA hairpin, 5'-GCCU[AAUAACUC]GGGC (loop bases in square brackets), has been determined in solution by proton, phosphorus, and carbon (natural abundance) NMR spectroscopy. This RNA hairpin is known to play a crucial role in the translational repression of bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase. Ultraviolet absorbance melting curves indicate that the structure formed is unimolecular. The NMR spectra indicate that a single conformation consistent with a hairpin structure is formed. Strong imino-imino NOEs confirm the formation of the G.U base pair at the stem-loop junction. There is no evidence that A5 is protonated (at pH 6.0) and involved in an A+.C pair. However, the NMR data indicate that the stem is extended beyond the G.U pair and that A-form stacking continues for three nucleotides on the 5' side and one nucleotide on the 3' side. Structure calculations using restraints obtained from NMR data give a precisely defined structure with an average root mean square deviation (RMSD) of approximately 1.2 A for the entire molecule. The assignment of all the protons and most of the 31P resonances in the loop yielded a large number of distance and torsion angle restraints for these nucleotides. These helped obtain a well-defined loop with an average RMSD of 1.1 A for the loop nucleotides of 11 converged structures.

Bacteriophage T4↗

NMR solution structure of the N3' --> P5' phosphoramidate duplex d(CGCGAATTCGCG)2 by the iterative relaxation matrix approach.

High-resolution 2D NMR spectra of the duplex CGCGAATTCGCG with deoxyribose sugars but with the normal phosphodiester linker replaced by an N3' --> P5' phosphoramidate (NP) group have been used to establish a solution structure for the duplex. Distance, angle, and base pair hydrogen-bonding constraints were used to refine the structure by use of the iterative relaxation matrix approach (IRMA). The phosphoramidate NH proton signal could be observed in DMSO at low temperature but not in H2O and D2O. For this reason, the structure was refined with the -NH in each of the two possible low-energy configurations. The structure with the nitrogen lone pair located between the nonbridging oxygen atoms of the 5'-phosphate group consistently had the lowest energy and RMSD values, consistent with an X-ray analysis of the same duplex [Tereshko, V., Gryaznov, S. , and Egli, M. (1998) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 120, 269-283]. In the refined structure, the sugars are in the C3'-endo conformation with the change from the normal C2'-endo conformation of deoxyribose apparently being driven by the gauche effect and the change in electronegativity from the 3'O to the 3'NH group. In agreement with preliminary studies [Ding, D., Gryaznov, S. M., Lloyd, D. H., Chandrasekaran, S., Yao, S., Ratmeyer, L., Pan, Y., and Wilson, W. D. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24, 354-360], the backbone conformation in the NP duplex is very close to classical A-form values. Comparison of phosphodiester and phosphoramidate structures suggests that their backbones have global conformations that are primarily a function of the low-energy state of the sugar ring. A somewhat more complex situation arises when base pair conformation is analyzed with many of the base pairs having a conformation between those of classical A- and B-form helices. The effects of the 2' substituent are obviously important in specifying the final conformation of the stacked bases in either an A-form or B-form helix. It is clear, however, that conversion of the normal phosphodiester of DNA into a phosphoramidate linkage yields a nucleic acid that behaves much more like RNA than DNA, and it has been shown that NP sequences can bind to RNA-directed proteins [Rigl, C. T., Lloyd, D. H., Tsou, D. S., Gryaznov, S. M., and Wilson, W. D. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 650-659].

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

Uniformly modified 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro phosphorothioate oligonucleotides as nuclease-resistant antisense compounds with high affinity and specificity for RNA targets.

"Uniformly" modified phosphodiester or phosphorothioate oligonucleotides incorporating 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoroadenosine, -guanosine, -uridine, and -cytidine, reported herein for the first time, when hybridized with RNA afforded consistent additive enhancement of duplex stability without compromising base-pair specificity. CD spectra of the 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-modified oligonucleotides hybridized with RNA indicated that the duplex adopts a fully A-form conformation. The 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-modified oligonucleotides in phosphodiester form were not resistant to nucleases; however, the modified phosphorothioate oligonucleotides were highly nuclease resistant and retained exceptional binding affinity to the RNA targets. The stabilizing effects of the 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro modifications on RNA-DNA duplexes were shown to be superior to those of the 2'-O-methylribo substitutions. RNA hybrid duplexes with uniformly 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-modified oligonucleotides did not support HeLa RNase H activity; however, incorporation of the modifications into "chimeric" oligonucleotides has been shown to activate mammalian RNase H. "Uniformly" modified 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro phosphorothioate oligonucleotides afforded antisense molecules with (1) high binding affinity and selectivity for the RNA target and (2) stability toward nucleases.

Base Sequence↗

Crystal structure of an RNA double helix incorporating a track of non-Watson-Crick base pairs.

The crystal structure of the RNA dodecamer duplex (r-GGACUUCGGUCC)2 has been determined. The dodecamers stack end-to-end in the crystal, simulating infinite A-form helices with only a break in the phosphodiester chain. These infinite helices are held together in the crystal by hydrogen bonding between ribose hydroxyl groups and a variety of donors and acceptors. The four noncomplementary nucleotides in the middle of the sequence did not form an internal loop, but rather a highly regular double-helix incorporating the non-Watson-Crick base pairs, G.U and U.C. This is the first direct observation of a U.C (or T.C) base pair in a crystal structure. The U.C pairs each form only a single base-base hydrogen bond, but are stabilized by a water molecule which bridges between the ring nitrogens and by four waters in the major groove which link the bases and phosphates. The lack of distortion introduced in the double helix by the U.C mismatch may explain its low efficiency of repair in DNA. The G.U wobble pair is also stabilized by a minor-groove water which bridges between the unpaired guanine amino and the ribose hydroxyl of the uracil. This structure emphasizes the importance of specific hydrogen bonding between not only the nucleotide bases, but also the ribose hydroxyls, phosphate oxygens and tightly bound waters in stabilization of the intramolecular and intermolecular structures of double helical RNA.

Base Sequence↗

A continuous transition from A-DNA to B-DNA in the 1:1 complex between nogalamycin and the hexamer dCCCGGG.

The antibiotic nogalamycin, a drug with high specificity for TG and CG steps in double-stranded DNA, has been crystallized as a 1:1 complex with the hexamer d(CCCGGG). The antibiotic is inserted at the central CG step of the duplex, with the two sugars oriented in the same direction and with strong interactions with the DNA within the grooves. The amino-glucose residue makes an integral part of a well defined major groove hydration network with van der Waals contacts and several strong hydrogen bonds to the duplex. The nogalose residue resides in the minor groove, making primarily van der Waals contacts. The single site allows an accurate molecular description of the intercalation, without perturbations from end effects observed previously. The local unwinding induced by nogalamycin is completely relaxed 2 base pairs away from the intercalation site. The two strands of the DNA show a continuous deformation from the A to the B form: 1) the cytosines toward the 5' end of the nogalomycin site in each strand have c3'-endo conformations while 5 guanosines toward the 3' ends have c2'-endo conformations; 2) within each strand, the phosphate-phosphate distances increase in a continuous manner from 5.7 A (A-form) to 7.1 A (B-form).

Base Sequence↗

The infrared and Raman spectra of the duplex of d(GGTATACC) in the crystal show bands due to both the A-form and the B-form of DNA.

The deoxyoligonucleotide, d(GGTATACC), forms a duplex structure that crystallizes in the DNA A form. This has been shown by both X-ray diffraction studies and Raman spectroscopy (1,2). The presence of the DNA B form has been reported using diffuse X-ray scattering from a crystal of the closely related sequence d(GGBrUABrUACC)(3). In this paper the infrared spectrum of the d(GGTATACC) crystal is presented and curve resolution of both the Raman and IR spectra have been carried out. The percentage of A and B forms have been estimated. The %B form in the crystal has been estimated from the IR spectra to be about 15% and from Raman to be about 20%. Moreover the IR spectrum of the A conformation in the crystal is slightly different from the IR spectrum of the A conformation in polynucleotide fibers in particular in the region of the phosphate stretching vibrations and of the in-plane double bond vibrations of the bases. We show that it is feasible to obtain IR as well as Raman spectra of small crystals of oligonucleotides and that this is a good method of identifying all of the different conformations that may be in the crystal.

Base Sequence↗

Conformations of poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) modified by the O-acetyl derivative of the carcinogen 4-hydroxyaminoquinoline 1-oxide.

Poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) has been modified by reaction with 4-acetoxyaminoquinoline 1-oxide (Ac-4 HAQO), the ultimate carcinogen of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide. The circular dichroism (CD) spectra of the modified and unmodified polymers have been compared under various experimental conditions. The CD spectra were recorded in 1 mM phosphate, 50% (v/v) ethanol, 3.8 M LiCl and 95% (v/v) ethanol, conditions in which poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) adopts the B-, Z-, C- and A-form respectively. In 1 mM phosphate buffer, poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) modified by Ac-4 HAQO seems not to contain regions in the Z-form. Z-form induction could be progressively obtained by the addition of ethanol as follows: in the buffer with about 30% ethanol the modified polymer started to adopt the Z structure, while 40% of ethanol in the buffer was necessary for the unmodified polymer. In the 50% ethanol-1 mM phosphate buffer mixture (v/v), poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) was entirely in the Z-form while poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) modified by Ac-4 HAQO remained partially in the B-form. Enzymatic digestions with the nuclease S1 which is specific of the single-stranded DNA were carried out in order to support the modified poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) CD study conclusions. The role played by the two major adducts on the conformational characteristics of modified polymer is discussed.

Aminoquinolines↗

Does 5S RNA from E. coli have a pseudoknotted structure?

Chemical modification and limited enzymatic hydrolysis on isolated E. coli 5S RNA have provided informations on the secondary- and tertiary structure compatible with pseudoknotted structures for the A- and B-conformers of the molecule. Changes in the accessibility and reactivity of nucleotides in loop C and at the stem of helix IV in two different 5S RNA conformers are highly suggestive for interactions between bases C35 to C37 with G105 to G107 for the A-form and C38 to U40 and A94 to G96 with additional interactions of C35, C37 with G98 and G100 for the B-form. In both cases the molecules are folded forming pseudoknots and two quasi--continuous double stranded helices with coaxial stacking. The two structures are in perfect agreement with the biochemical data concerning the stability of the molecule and the chemical reactivities of individual nucleotides of the 5S RNA A- and B-conformers.

Base Sequence↗

A sequence dimorphism in a conserved domain of human 28S rRNA. Uneven distribution of variant genes among individuals. Differential expression in HeLa cells.

In humans, cellular 28S rRNA displays a sequence dimorphism within an evolutionarily conserved motif, with the presence, at position +60, of either a A (like the metazoan consensus) or a G. The relative abundance of the two forms of variant genes in the genome exhibit large differences among individuals. The two variant forms are generally represented in cellular 28S rRNA in proportion of their relative abundance in the genome, at least for leucocytes. However, in some cases, one form of variant may be markedly underexpressed as compared to the other. Thus, in HeLa cells, A-form genes contribute to only 1% of the cellular content in mature 28S rRNA although amounting to 15% of the ribosomal genes. The differential expression seems to result from different transcriptional activities rather than from differences in pre-rRNA processing efficiency or in stabilities of mature rRNAs. G-form ribosomal genes were not detected in other mammals, including chimpanzee, which suggests that the fixation of this variant type is a rather recent event in primate evolution.

Base Sequence↗

Evidence from CD spectra that d(purine).r(pyrimidine) and r(purine).d(pyrimidine) hybrids are in different structural classes.

CD spectra and difference CD spectra of four d(oligopurine).r(oligopyrimidine) and four r(oligopurine).d(oligopyrimidine) hybrid duplexes containing mixed A.T(U) and G.C base pairs were compared with the spectra of four DNA.DNA and four RNA.RNA oligomer duplexes of similar repeating sequences. The 16 duplexes were formed by mixing oligomers that were 24 nucleotides long. The buffer was 0.05 M Na+ (phosphate), pH 7.0. DNA.DNA and RNA.RNA oligomer duplexes were used as reference B-form and A-form structures. We found that the CD spectra of d(purine).r(pyrimidine) and r(purine).d(pyrimidine) hybrid duplexes were different from the CD spectra of either DNA.DNA or RNA.RNA duplexes. The data suggested that these hybrids have intermediate structures between A-form RNA and B-form DNA structures. The CD spectra of d(purine).r(pyrimidine) and r(purine).d(pyrimidine) hybrid duplexes were different from each other, but the hybrids in each class had consistent CD spectra as indicated by nearest-neighbor comparisons. Thus, it appeared that the two types of hybrids belonged to different structural classes. The negative 210 nm band found in difference CD spectra was correlated with the presence of an r(purine) strand in the hybrid duplexes. The melting temperatures (Tm values) of these hybrids were compared with the Tm values of the DNA.DNA and RNA.RNA duplexes. The order of the thermal stability was: RNA.RNA duplex > r(purine).d(pyrimidine) hybrid > DNA.DNA duplex > d(purine).r(pyrimidine) hybrid, when comparing analogous sequences.

Base Composition↗

Characterization of fully 2'-modified oligoribonucleotide hetero- and homoduplex hybridization and nuclease sensitivity.

The nuclease stability and melting temperatures (Tm) were compared for fully modified oligoribonucleotide sequences containing 2'-fluoro, 2'-O-methyl, 2'-O-propyl and 2'-O-pentyl nucleotides. Duplexes formed between 2' modified oligoribonucleotides and RNA have typical A-form geometry as observed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. Modifications, with the exception of 2'-O-pentyl, were observed to increase the Tm of duplexes formed with complementary RNA. Modified homoduplexes showed significantly higher Tms, with the following Tm order: 2'-fluoro:2'fluoro > 2'-O-propyl:2'-O-propyl > 2'-O-methyl:2'-O- methyl > RNA:RNA > DNA:DNA. The nuclease stability of 2'-modified oligoribonucleotides was examined using snake venom phosphodiesterase (SVPD) and nuclease S1. The stability imparted by 2' modifications was observed to correlate with the size of the modification. An additional level of nuclease stability was present in oligoribonucleotides having the potential for forming secondary structure, but only for 2' modified oligoribonucleotides and not for 2'-deoxy oligoribonucleotides.

Base Sequence↗

CD, absorption and thermodynamic analysis of repeating dinucleotide DNA, RNA and hybrid duplexes [d/r(AC)]12.[d/r(GT/U)]12 and the influence of phosphorothioate substitution.

Circular dichroism (CD) spectra and melting temperature (Tm) data for five duplexes containing phosphorothioate linkages were compared with data for four unmodified duplexes to assess the effect of phosphorothioate modification on the structure and stability of DNA. DNA and DNA.RNA duplexes. Nine duplexes were formed by mixing oligomers 24 nt long in 0.15 M K+(phosphate buffer), pH 7.0. Unmodified DNA.DNA and RNA.RNA duplexes were used as reference B-form and A-form structures. The CD spectra of the modified hybrids S-d(AC)12.r(GU)12 and r(AC)12.S-d(GT)12 differed from each other but were essentially the same as the spectra of the respective unmodified hybrids. They were more A-form than B-form in character. CD spectra of duplexes S-d(AC)12.d(GT)12 and d(AC)12.S-d(GT)12 were similar to that of d(AC)12.d(GT)12, except for a reduced long wavelength CD band. Sulfur modifications on both strands of the DNA duplex caused a pronounced effect on its CD spectrum. The order of thermal stability was: RNA.RNA > DNA.DNA > DNA.RNA > S-DNA.DNA > S-DNA. RNA > S-DNA.S-DNA. Phosphorothioation of one strand decreased the melting temperature by 7.8+/-0.6 degrees C, regardless of whether the substitution was in a hybrid or DNA duplex. Thermodynamic parameters were obtained from a multistate analysis of the thermal melting profiles. Interestingly, the destabilizing effect of the phosphorothioate substitution appears to arise from a difference in the entropy upon forming the DNA.DNA duplexes, while the destabilizing effect in the DNA.RNA hybrids appears to come from a difference in enthalpy.

Circular Dichroism↗

On the flexibility of the boundaries between the A-form and B-form sections in DNA molecule.

The degree of orientation of DNA in a flow has been studied within the interval of the B - A transition induced by ethanol. The orientation of the B DNA (60-65% ethanol, v/v) and that of the A DNA (80-82% ethanol) are nearly identical. This means that both conformations have similar persistence lengths and that there is no aggregation in the course of formation of the A form. Within the transition range (65-78% ethanol) the orientation attains a sharp minimum which coincides with the half-transition point (73% ethanol). The cooperative character of the B - A transition presupposes the existence of boundaries between the alternating sections of the A and B conformations that may entail an increased flexibility of the DNA molecule and a corresponding drop of orientation. Theory predicts an elliptical dependence of the number of boundaries on the proportion of the A form. The experimental degree of orientation follows the same pattern. Quantitative evaluation shows that the flexibility of a boundary is small, so that several dozen of boundaries are required to simulate free rotation.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Escherichia coli 5S RNA A and B conformers. Characterisation by enzymatic and chemical methods.

The structures of the two stable conformers of Escherichia coli 5 S RNA, the and B form, were compared. Information about the structures were obtained using the methods of limited enzymatic hydrolysis and chemical modification of accessible nucleotides. Base-specific modifications were performed for adenosines and cytidines using diethylpyrocarbonate and dimethylsulfate in combination with a strand-scission reaction at the modified site. Base-specific (RNase T1) as well as conformation-specific (nuclease S1, cobra venom nuclease) enzymes were employed for the limited enzymatic hydrolysis. Clear differences in the accessibility of the two 5 S RNA conformers to the enzymes and the chemical reagents were established and the regions with altered reactivities were localized in the 5 S RNA structure. The results are consistent with the disruption of the secondary structural interactions in helix II and partly in helices III and IV during the transition from the A to the B form. (The numbering of the helices is according to the generally accepted Fox and Woese model.) In addition some regions presumably involved in the tertiary structure are distorted. There is evidence, however, for the new formation of structural regions between two distant sites in the 5 S RNA B form. The results enable us to refine the existing 5 S RNA A-form model and provide insight into the structural dynamics that lead to the formation of the 5 S RNA B form.

Adenosine↗

Salt induced conformational transition between A and Z forms of r(CGCGCG) as revealed by a Raman spectroscopic study.

Solution conformation in different conditions of r(CGCGCG) has been studied by a Raman spectroscopic method. In NaCl solution, r (CGCGCG) takes only an A-form duplex in which guanosine and cytidine have C3'endo-anti conformation even at 5M salt concentration. In much higher ionic strength condition (5M NaCl plus 1M MgCl2 or 6M NaClO4), it undergoes a transition to a left-handed Z-form. The Raman spectrum of the Z-form RNA was found to be very similar to that of Z-form DNA, suggesting that Z-RNA involves a C3'endo-syn guanosine and an in between form of C2'endo-Cl'exo-anti cytidine.

Kinetics↗