Conformational transitions of DNA induced by changing water content of the sample: a theoretical study

A semi-phenomenological model with spatially distributed parameters is suggested to describe the processes of conformational transitions induced with change of water content of wet DNA samples. It allows describing conformational dynamics of DNA molecules with heterogeneous primary structures. It has been shown that the process of cooperative conformational transition can be simulated as propagating front of a new conformation. The evolution of a conformational perturbation of DNA molecule has been described. It can collapse for finite time or occupy the whole molecule depending on the water content of the sample.

Induction of genetic changes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by partial drying in air of constant relative humidity and by UV

It was investigated whether there was a critical degree of dryness for induction of genetic changes by drying. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells were dried in air of 0, 33, 53 and 76% relative humidity (RH). The frequencies of mitotic recombination at ade2, of gene conversion at leu1, and of gene mutation at can1 were measured in X2447, XS1473 and S288C strains, respectively. After the cells had been dried at 0% RH for 4 h the frequencies of the genetic changes at ade2, leu1 and can1 were, respectively, 56, 7 and 3.5 times higher than each spontaneous frequency. Induction rates, defined as the frequencies of the induced genetic changes per unit time (1 h) of drying, were greatly decreased with increase in RH. Partial drying in air of 76% RH up to 4 and 8 h induced no genetic change at ade2 and leu1, respectively. It was concluded, therefore, that drying at a certain RH between 53 and 76% gave the critical degree of dryness of cells for the induction of the genetic changes. The water contents of cells (g water per g dry material) were 12% at 53% RH and 21% at 76% RH, whereas the water content of native cells was 212%. Removal of a large amount of cellular water had no effect on the induction of the genetic changes. UV sensitivity of partially dried cells of X2447 for the induction of the genetic change at ade2 drastically increased with decrease in RH between 76 and 53%. The drastic change in the UV sensitivity suggested that photochemical reactivity of DNA of chromosome XV, in which the ade2 locus is located, changed between 76 and 53% RH. It seems that the genetic changes were induced only in the low RH region where DNA in vivo had a different photochemical reactivity.

On the interaction of caffeine with nucleic acids. IV. Studies of the caffeine-DNA interaction by infrared and ultraviolet linear dichroism, proton and deuteron nuclear magnetic resonance

The DNA-caffeine interaction at high concentration of caffeine (Cf) leads to an arrangement of Cf molecules outside of the DNA double helix with an orientation parallel to the bases both in the A and B form as demonstrated by infrared linear dichroism. Addition of DNA broadens the 1H NMR lines of Cf in aqueous solution indicating a specific binding. Intercalation is not the predominant mechanism, the deuterium relaxation time T1 = (38 +/- 7) ms and the estimated reorientation correlation time tau cb = 0.17 ns of caffeine-8[2H] in the Cf-DNA complex suggest an outside stacking of the ligand. According to the results a model on the DNA-Cf complex at high Cf concentration (binding process II) is suggested including the caffeine-induced reorientation of the hydration shell of DNA.