Dependence of DNA Electronic Structure on Environmental and Structural Variations

Dynamic Database Design of Sports Quality Based on Genetic Data Algorithm and Artificial Intelligence

According to the traditional data mining method, it is no longer applicable to obtain knowledge from the database, and the knowledge mined in the past must be constantly updated. In the last few years, Internet technology and cloud computing technology have emerged. The emergence of these two technologies has brought about Earth-shaking changes in certain industries. In order to efficiently retrieve and count a large amount of data at a lower cost, big data technology is proposed. Big data technology has played an important role for data with various types, huge quantities, and extremely fast changing speeds. However, big data technology still has some limitations, and researchers still cannot obtain the value of data in a short period of time with low cost and high efficiency. The sports database constructed in this paper can effectively carry out statistics and analysis on the data of sports learning. In the prototype system, log files can be mined, classified, and preprocessed. For the incremental data obtained by preprocessing, incremental data mining can be performed, a classification model can be established, and the database can be updated to provide users with personalized services. Through the method of data survey, the author studied the students’ exercise status, and the feedback data show that college students lack the awareness of physical exercise and have no fitness habit. It is necessary to accelerate the reform of college sports and cultivate students’ good sports awareness.

Applications of synchrotron-based spectroscopic techniques in studying nucleic acids and nucleic acid-functionalized nanomaterials

In this review, we summarize recent progress in the application of synchrotron-based spectroscopic techniques for nucleic acid research that takes advantage of high-flux and high-brilliance electromagnetic radiation from synchrotron sources. The first section of the review focuses on the characterization of the structure and folding processes of nucleic acids using different types of synchrotron-based spectroscopies, such as X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray emission spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, synchrotron radiation circular dichroism, X-ray footprinting and small-angle X-ray scattering. In the second section, the characterization of nucleic acid-based nanostructures, nucleic acid-functionalized nanomaterials and nucleic acid-lipid interactions using these spectroscopic techniques is summarized. Insights gained from these studies are described and future directions of this field are also discussed.

Electronic structure, stacking energy, partial charge, and hydrogen bonding in four periodic B-DNA models

We present a theoretical study of the electronic structure of four periodic B-DNA models labeled (AT)(10), (GC)(10), (AT)(5)(GC)(5), and (AT-GC)(5) where A denotes adenine, T denotes thymine, G denotes guanine, and C denotes cytosine. Each model has ten base pairs with Na counterions to neutralize the negative phosphate group in the backbone. The (AT)(5)(GC)(5) and (AT-GC)(5) models contain two and five AT-GC bilayers, respectively. When compared against the average of the two pure models, we estimate the AT-GC bilayer interaction energy to be 19.015 Kcal/mol, which is comparable to the hydrogen bonding energy between base pairs obtained from the literature. Our investigation shows that the stacking of base pairs plays a vital role in the electronic structure, relative stability, bonding, and distribution of partial charges in the DNA models. All four models show a highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) to lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) gap ranging from 2.14 to 3.12 eV with HOMO states residing on the PO(4) + Na functional group and LUMO states originating from the bases. Our calculation implies that the electrical conductance of a DNA molecule should increase with increased base-pair mixing. Interatomic bonding effects in these models are investigated in detail by analyzing the distributions of the calculated bond order values for every pair of atoms in the four models including hydrogen bonding. The counterions significantly affect the gap width, the conductivity, and the distribution of partial charge on the DNA backbone. We also evaluate quantitatively the surface partial charge density on each functional group of the DNA models.

Some novel molecular frameworks involving representative elements

Several new molecular frameworks with interesting structures, based on clusters of main group elements have been studied at different levels of theory with various basis sets. Conceptual density functional theory based reactivity descriptors and nucleus independent chemical shift provide important insights into their bonding, reactivity, stability and aromaticity.

Biological applications of hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculation

Since in most cases biological macromolecular systems including solvent water molecules are remarkably large, the computational costs of performing ab initio calculations for the entire structures are prohibitive. Accordingly, QM calculations that are jointed with MM calculations are crucial to evaluate the long-range electrostatic interactions, which significantly affect the electronic structures of biological macromolecules. A UNIX-shell-based interface program connecting the quantum mechanics (QMs) and molecular mechanics (MMs) calculation engines, GAMESS and AMBER, was developed in our lab. The system was applied to a metalloenzyme, azurin, and PU.1-DNA complex; thereby, the significance of the environmental effects on the electronic structures of the site of interest was elucidated. Subsequently, hybrid QM/MM molecular dynamics (MD) simulation using the calculation system was employed for investigation of mechanisms of hydrolysis (editing reaction) in leucyl-tRNA synthetase complexed with the misaminoacylated tRNA(Leu), and a novel mechanism of the enzymatic reaction was revealed. Thus, our interface program can play a critical role as a powerful tool for state-of-the-art sophisticated hybrid ab initio QM/MM MD simulations of large systems, such as biological macromolecules.

Refinement of DNA structures through near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure analysis: applications on guanine and cytosine nucleobases, nucleosides, and nucleotides

In this work we highlight the potential of NEXAFS—near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure—analysis to perform refinements of hydrogen-bond structure in DNA. For this purpose we have carried out first-principle calculations of the N1s NEXAFS spectra of the guanine and cytosine nucleobases and their tautomers, nucleosides, and nucleotides in the gas phase, as well as for five crystal structures of guanine, cytosine, or guanosine. The spectra all clearly show imine (π1*) and amine (π2*) nitrogen absorption bands with a characteristic energy difference (Δ). Among all of the intramolecule covalent connections, the tautomerism of hydrogens makes the largest influence, around ±0.4−0.5 eV change of Δ, to the spectra due to a switch of single−double bonds. Deoxyribose and ribose sugars can cause at most 0.2 eV narrowing of Δ, while the phosphate groups have nearly negligible effects on the spectra. Two kinds of intermolecule interactions are analyzed, the hydrogen bonds and the stacking effect, by comparing “compressed” and “expanded” models or by comparing models including or excluding the nearest stacking molecules. The shortening of hydrogen-bond length by 0.2−0.3 Å can result in the reduction of Δ by 0.2−0.8 eV. This is because the hydrogen bonds make the electrons more delocalized, and the amine and imine nitrogens become less distinguishable. Moreover, the hydrogen bond has a different ability to influence the spectra of different crystals, with guanine crystals as the largest (change by 0.8 eV) and the guanosine crystal as the smallest (change by 0.2 eV). The stacking has negligible effects on the spectra in all studied systems. A comparison of guanosine to guanine crystals shows that the sugars in the crystal could create “blocks” in the π-and hydrogen bonds network of bases and thus makes the imine and amine nitrogens more distinguishable with a larger Δ. Our theoretical calculations offer a good match with experimental findings and explain earlier discrepancies in the NEXAFS analysis.

Recent advances in jointed quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics calculations of biological macromolecules: schemes and applications coupled to ab initio calculations

We review the recent research on the functional mechanisms of biological macromolecules using theoretical methodologies coupled to ab initio quantum mechanical (QM) treatments of reaction centers in proteins and nucleic acids. Since in most cases such biological molecules are large, the computational costs of performing ab initio calculations for the entire structures are prohibitive. Instead, simulations that are jointed with molecular mechanics (MM) calculations are crucial to evaluate the long-range electrostatic interactions, which significantly affect the electronic structures of biological macromolecules. Thus, we focus our attention on the methodologies/schemes and applications of jointed QM/MM calculations, and discuss the critical issues to be elucidated in biological macromolecular systems.

Systematic study of soft X-ray spectra of poly(Dg).poly(Dc) and poly(Da).poly(Dt) DNA duplexes

In the present work, we have undertaken a combined experimental and theoretical study of X-ray spectroscopies for DNA base pairs, more precisely near-edge X-ray absorption, X-ray emission, and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering applied to poly(dG).poly(dC) and poly(dA).poly(dT) DNA duplexes. We have derived several conclusions on the nature of these X-ray spectra: the stacking of pairs has very little influence on the spectra; the spectra of a DNA composed of mixed Watson-Crick base pairs are well reproduced by linear combinations of GC and AT base pairs involved; the amine and imine nitrogens show noticeable differences as building blocks in the absorption, emission, and resonant emission spectra. The calculated spectra are in good agreement with experimental results. The ramifications of these conclusions for the use of X-ray spectroscopy for DNA are discussed.

Electronic parameters for charge transfer along DNA

We systematically examine all the tight-binding parameters pertinent to charge transfer along DNA. The pi molecular structure of the four DNA bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine) is investigated by using the linear combination of atomic orbitals method with a recently introduced parametrization. The HOMO and LUMO wave functions and energies of DNA bases are discussed and then used for calculating the corresponding wave functions of the two B-DNA base-pairs (adenine-thymine and guanine-cytosine). The obtained HOMO and LUMO energies of the bases are in good agreement with available experimental values. Our results are then used for estimating the complete set of charge transfer parameters between neighboring bases and also between successive base-pairs, considering all possible combinations between them, for both electrons and holes. The calculated microscopic quantities can be used in mesoscopic theoretical models of electron or hole transfer along the DNA double helix, as they provide the necessary parameters for a tight-binding phenomenological description based on the pi molecular overlap. We find that usually the hopping parameters for holes are higher in magnitude compared to the ones for electrons. Our findings are also compared with existing calculations from first principles.

Efficient and accurate calculations on the electronic structure of B-type poly(dG).poly(dC) DNA by elongation method: first step toward the understanding of the biological properties of aperiodic DNA

Elongation method was applied to determine the electronic structures of B-type poly(dG).poly(dC) DNA at the ab initio molecular orbital level as a first step toward the calculation of aperiodic DNA. The discrepancy in total energy between the elongation method and a conventional calculation was negligibly small in the order of 10(-8) hartreeat. for 14 G-C base pair model. The local density of states for 10 G-C base pair model estimated by the elongation method well reproduced the results by the conventional calculation. It was found that the band gap of the whole system is mainly due to the energy difference between the valence band of guanine and the conduction band of cytosine. Moreover, the electron transfer path through stacking G-C base pairs rather than sugar-phosphate backbones has been confirmed by the authors' calculations.