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Brovarets’ OO, Muradova A, Hovorun DM. Novel horizons of the conformationally-tautomeric transformations of the G·T base pairs: quantum-mechanical investigation. Mol Phys 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/00268976.2022.2026510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ol’ha O. Brovarets’
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Alona Muradova
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro M. Hovorun
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Brovarets' OO, Muradova A, Hovorun DM. Novel mechanisms of the conformational transformations of the biologically important G·C nucleobase pairs in Watson–Crick, Hoogsteen and wobble configurations via the mutual rotations of the bases around the intermolecular H-bonds: a QM/QTAIM study. RSC Adv 2021; 11:25700-25730. [PMID: 35478902 PMCID: PMC9036977 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra08702e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
It was established conformational transformations of the G·C nucleobase pairs, occurring via the mutual rotation of the G and C bases around the intermolecular H-bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ol'ha O. Brovarets'
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics
- National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
- Kyiv
- Ukraine
| | - Alona Muradova
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics
- Institute of High Technologies
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
- Kyiv
- Ukraine
| | - Dmytro M. Hovorun
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics
- National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
- Kyiv
- Ukraine
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Brovarets' OO, Muradova A, Hovorun DM. A Quantum-Mechanical Looking Behind the Scene of the Classic G·C Nucleobase Pairs Tautomerization. Front Chem 2020; 8:574454. [PMID: 33330362 PMCID: PMC7732530 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.574454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For the first time, at the MP2/6-311++G(2df,pd)//B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory, a comprehensive quantum-mechanical investigation of the physico-chemical mechanism of the tautomeric wobblization of the four biologically-important G·C nucleobase pairs by the participation of the monomers in rare, in particular mutagenic, tautomeric forms (marked with an asterisk) was provided. These novel tautomeric transformations (wobblization or shifting of the bases within the pair) are intrinsically inherent properties of the G·C nucleobase pairs. In this study, we have obtained intriguing results, lying far beyond the existing representations. Thus, it was shown that Löwdin's G*·C*(WC) base pair does not tautomerize according to the wobblization mechanism. Tautomeric wobblization of the G*·C*(rWC) (relative Gibbs free energy ΔG = 0.00/relative electronic energy ΔE = 0.00 kcal·mol-1) ("r"-means the configuration of the base pair in reverse position; "WC"-the classic Watson-Crick configuration) and G*t·C*(H) (ΔG = -0.19/ΔE = 0.29 kcal·mol-1) ("H"-Hoogsteen configuration;"t" denotes the O6H hydroxyl group in the trans position) base pairs are preceded by the stages of the base pairs tautomerization by the single proton transfer (SPT). It was established that the G*t·C*(rH) (ΔG = 2.21/ΔE = 2.81 kcal·mol-1) base pair can be wobbled through two different pathways via the traditional one-stage mechanism through the TSs, which are tight G+·C- ion pairs, stabilized by the participation of only two intermolecular H-bonds. It was found out that the G·C base pair is most likely incorporated into the DNA/RNA double helix with parallel strands in the G*·C*(rWC), G·C*(rwwc), and G*·C(rwwc) ("w"-wobble configuration of the pair) tautomeric forms, which are in rapid tautomeric equilibrium with each other. It was proven that the G*·C*(rWC) nucleobase pair is also in rapid tautomeric equilibrium with the eight tautomeric forms of the so-called Levitt base pair. It was revealed that a few cases of tautomerization via the DPT of the nucleobase pairs by the participation of the C8H group of the guanine had occurred. The biological role of the obtained results was also made apparent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ol'ha O. Brovarets'
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Alona Muradova
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro M. Hovorun
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Sharma KD, Kathuria P, Wetmore SD, Sharma P. Can modified DNA base pairs with chalcogen bonding expand the genetic alphabet? A combined quantum chemical and molecular dynamics simulation study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:23754-23765. [PMID: 33063082 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp04921b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A comprehensive (DFT and MD) computational study is presented with the goal to design and analyze model chalcogen-bonded modified nucleobase pairs that replace one (i.e., AXY:T, G:CXY, GXY:C) or two (GXY:CX'Y', X/X' = S, Se and Y/Y' = F, Cl, Br) Watson-Crick (WC) hydrogen bonds of the canonical A:T or G:C pair with chalcogen bond(s). DFT calculations on 18 base pair combinations that replace one WC hydrogen bond with a chalcogen bond reveal that the bases favorably interact in the gas phase (binding strengths up to -140 kJ mol-1) and water (up to -85 kJ mol-1). Although the remaining hydrogen bond(s) exhibits similar characteristics to those in the canonical base pairs, the structural features of the (Y-XO) chalcogen bond(s) change significantly with the identity of X and Y. The 36 doubly-substituted (GXY:CX'Y') base pairs have structural deviations from canonical G:C similar to those of the singly-substituted modifications (G:CXY or GXY:C). Furthermore, despite the replacement of two strong hydrogen bonds with chalcogen bonds, some GXY:CX'Y' pairs possess comparable binding energies (up to -132 kJ mol-1 in the gas phase and up to -92 kJ mol-1 in water) to the most stable G:CXY or GXY:C pairs, as well as canonical G:C. More importantly, G:C-modified pairs containing X = Se (high polarizability) and Y = F (high electronegativity) are the most stable, with comparable or slightly larger (by up to 13 kJ mol-1) binding energies than G:C. Further characterization of the chalcogen bonding in all modified base pairs (AIM, NBO and NCI analyses) reveals that the differences in the binding energies of modified base pairs are mainly dictated by the differences in the strengths of their chalcogen bonds. Finally, MD simulations on DNA oligonucleotides containing the most stable chalcogen-bonded base pair from each of the four classifications (AXY:T, G:CXY, GXY:C and GXY:CX'Y') reveal that the singly-modified G:C pairs best retain the local helical structure and pairing stability to a greater extent than the modified A:T pair. Overall, our study identifies two (G:CSeF and GSeF:C) promising pairs that retain chalcogen bonding in DNA and should be synthesized and further explored in terms of their potential to expand the genetic alphabet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karan Deep Sharma
- Computational Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Advanced Studies in Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India. and Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA
| | - Preetleen Kathuria
- Computational Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Advanced Studies in Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
| | - Stacey D Wetmore
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Purshotam Sharma
- Computational Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Advanced Studies in Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
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Brovarets’ OO, Hovorun DM. A new era of the prototropic tautomerism of the quercetin molecule: A QM/QTAIM computational advances. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2019; 38:4774-4800. [PMID: 31711364 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2019.1691660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ol’ha O. Brovarets’
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro M. Hovorun
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Brovarets’ OO, Hovorun DM. Intramolecular tautomerization of the quercetin molecule due to the proton transfer: QM computational study. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224762. [PMID: 31751372 PMCID: PMC6874073 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Quercetin molecule (3, 3', 4', 5, 7-pentahydroxyflavone, C15H10O7) is an important flavonoid compound of natural origin, consisting of two aromatic A and B rings linked through the C ring with endocyclic oxygen atom and five hydroxyl groups attached to the 3, 3', 4', 5 and 7 positions. This molecule is found in many foods and plants, and is known to have a wide range of therapeutic properties, like an anti-oxidant, anti-toxic, anti-inflammatory etc. In this study for the first time we have revealed and investigated the pathways of the tautomeric transformations for the most stable conformers of the isolated quercetin molecule (Brovarets' & Hovorun, 2019) via the intramolecular proton transfer. Energetic, structural, dynamical and polar characteristics of these transitions, in particular relative Gibbs free and electronic energies, characteristics of the intramolecular specific interactions-H-bonds and attractive van der Waals contacts, have been analysed in details. It was demonstrated that the most probable process among all investigated is the proton transfer from the O3H hydroxyl group of the C ring to the C2' carbon atom of the C2'H group of the B ring along the intramolecular O3H…C2' H-bond with the further formation of the C2'H2 group. It was established that the proton transfer from the hydroxyl groups to the carbon atoms of the neighboring CH groups is assisted at the transition states by the strong intramolecular HCH…O H-bond (~28.5 kcal∙mol-1). The least probable path of the proton transfer-from the C8H group to the endocyclic O1 oxygen atom-causes the decyclization of the C ring in some cases. It is shortly discussed the biological importance of the obtained results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ol’ha O. Brovarets’
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro M. Hovorun
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Brovarets' OO, Oliynyk TA, Hovorun DM. Novel Tautomerisation Mechanisms of the Biologically Important Conformers of the Reverse Löwdin, Hoogsteen, and Reverse Hoogsteen G *·C * DNA Base Pairs via Proton Transfer: A Quantum-Mechanical Survey. Front Chem 2019; 7:597. [PMID: 31620420 PMCID: PMC6759773 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
For the first time, in this study with the use of QM/QTAIM methods we have exhaustively investigated the tautomerization of the biologically-important conformers of the G*·C* DNA base pair-reverse Löwdin G*·C*(rWC), Hoogsteen G*'·C*(H), and reverse Hoogsteen G*'·C*(rH) DNA base pairs-via the single (SPT) or double (DPT) proton transfer along the neighboring intermolecular H-bonds. These tautomeric reactions finally lead to the formation of the novel G· C O 2 * (rWC), G N 2 * · C(rWC), G*'N2·C(rWC), G N 7 * · C(H), and G*'N7·C(rH) DNA base mispairs. Gibbs free energies of activation for these reactions are within the range 3.64-31.65 kcal·mol-1 in vacuum under normal conditions. All TSs are planar structures (Cs symmetry) with a single exception-the essentially non-planar transition state TSG*·C*(rWC)↔G+·C-(rWC) (C1 symmetry). Analysis of the kinetic parameters of the considered tautomerization reactions indicates that in reality only the reverse Hoogsteen G*'·C*(rH) base pair undergoes tautomerization. However, the population of its tautomerised state G*'N7·C(rH) amounts to an insignificant value-2.3·10-17. So, the G*·C*(rWC), G*'·C*(H), and G*'·C*(rH) base pairs possess a permanent tautomeric status, which does not depend on proton mobility along the neighboring H-bonds. The investigated tautomerization processes were analyzed in details by applying the author's unique methodology-sweeps of the main physical and chemical parameters along the intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC). In general, the obtained data demonstrate the tautomeric mobility and diversity of the G*·C* DNA base pair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ol'ha O. Brovarets'
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Pharmacology, Bohomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Timothy A. Oliynyk
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro M. Hovorun
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Pathophysiology, Bohomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Brovarets’ OO, Hovorun DM. Conformational diversity of the quercetin molecule: a quantum-chemical view. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2019; 38:2817-2836. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2019.1656671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ol’ha O. Brovarets’
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro M. Hovorun
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Abstract
Hydrogen bonds play a critical role in nucleobase studies as they encode genes, map protein structures, provide stability to the base pairs, and are involved in spontaneous and induced mutations. Proton transfer mechanism is a critical phenomenon that is related to the acid-base characteristics of the nucleobases in Watson-Crick base pairs. The energetic and dynamical behavior of the proton can be depicted from these characteristics and their adjustment to the water molecules or the surrounding ions. Further, new pathways open up in which protonated nucleobases are generated by proton transfer from the ionized water molecules and elimination of a hydroxyl radical in this review, the analysis will be focused on understanding the mechanism of untargeted mutations in canonical, wobble, Hoogsteen pairs, and mutagenic tautomers through the non-covalent interactions. Further, rare tautomer formation through the single proton transfer (SPT) and the double proton transfer (DPT), quantum tunneling in nucleobases, radiation-induced bystander effects, role of water in proton transfer (PT) reactions, PT in anticancer drugs-DNA interaction, displacement and oriental polarization, possible models for mutations in DNA, genome instability, and role of proton transfer using kinetic parameters for RNA will be discussed.
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Brovarets’ OO, Hovorun DM. Conformational transitions of the quercetin molecule via the rotations of its rings: a comprehensive theoretical study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2019; 38:2865-2883. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2019.1645734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ol’ha O. Brovarets’
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Pharmacology, Bohomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro M. Hovorun
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Pathophysiology, Bohomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Brovarets' OO, Tsiupa KS, Dinets A, Hovorun DM. Unexpected Routes of the Mutagenic Tautomerization of the T Nucleobase in the Classical A·T DNA Base Pairs: A QM/QTAIM Comprehensive View. Front Chem 2018; 6:532. [PMID: 30538979 PMCID: PMC6277528 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2018.00532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In this paper using quantum-mechanical (QM) calculations in combination with Bader's quantum theory of "Atoms in Molecules" (QTAIM) in the continuum with ε = 1, we have theoretically demonstrated for the first time that revealed recently highly-energetic conformers of the classical A·T DNA base pairs - Watson-Crick [A·T(wWC)], reverse Watson-Crick [A·T(wrWC)], Hoogsteen [A·T(wH)] and reverse Hoogsteen [A·T(wrH)] - act as intermediates of the intrapair mutagenic tautomerization of the T nucleobase owing to the novel tautomerisation pathways: A·T(wWC)↔A·T*(w⊥ WC); A·T(wrWC)↔A·T O 2 * (w⊥ rWC); A·T(wH)↔A·T*(w⊥ H); A·T(wrH)↔A·T O 2 * (w⊥ rH). All of them occur via the transition states as tight ion pairs (A+, protonated by the N6H2 amino group)·(T-, deprotonated by the N3H group) with quasi-orthogonal geometry, which are stabilized by the participation of the strong (A)N6+H···O4-/O2-(T) and (A)N6+H···N3-(T) H-bonds. Established tautomerizations proceed through a two-step mechanism of the protons moving in the opposite directions along the intermolecular H-bonds. Initially, proton moves from the N3H imino group of T to the N6H2 amino group of A and then subsequently from the protonated N6+H3 amino group of A to the O4/O2 oxygen atom of T, leading to the products - A·T*(w⊥ WC), A·T O 2 * (w⊥ rWC), A·T*(w⊥ H), and A·T O 2 * (w⊥ rH), which are substantially non-planar, conformationally-labile complexes. These mispairs are stabilized by the participation of the (A)N6H/N6H'···N3(T) and (T)O2H/O4H···N6(A) H-bonds, for which the pyramidalized amino group of A is their donor and acceptor. The Gibbs free energy of activation of these mutagenic tautomerizations lies in the range of 27.8-29.8 kcal·mol-1 at T = 298.15 K in the continuum with ε = 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ol'ha O. Brovarets'
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Pharmacology, Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Kostiantyn S. Tsiupa
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Andrii Dinets
- Department of Surgery #4, Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro M. Hovorun
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Pathophysiology, Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Brovarets’ OO, Tsiupa KS, Hovorun DM. Novel pathway for mutagenic tautomerization of classical А∙Т DNA base pairs via sequential proton transfer through quasi-orthogonal transition states: A QM/QTAIM investigation. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199044. [PMID: 29949602 PMCID: PMC6021055 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper we have theoretically predicted a novel pathway for the mutagenic tautomerization of the classical A∙T DNA base pairs in the free state, the Watson-Crick A·Т(WC), reverse Watson-Crick A·Т(rWC), Hoogsteen A·Т(H) and reverse Hoogsteen A·Т(rH) pairs, via sequential proton transfer accompanied by a significant change in the mutual orientation of the bases. Quantum-mechanical (QM) calculations were performed at the MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ//B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level in vacuum phase, along with Bader's quantum theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM). These processes involve transition states (TSs) with quasi-orthogonal structures (symmetry C1), which are highly polar, tight ion pairs (A-, N6H2-deprotonated)∙(T+, O4/O2-protonated). Gibbs free energies of activation for the A∙T(WC) / A∙T(rWC) ↔ A*∙Т(rwWC) / A*∙Т(wWC) tautomeric transitions (~43.5 kcal∙mol-1) are lower than for the A∙T(H) / A∙T(rH) ↔ A*N7∙Т(rwH) / A*N7∙Т(wH) tautomerisations (~53.0 kcal∙mol-1) (rare tautomers are marked by an asterisk; w-wobble configured tautomerisation products). The (T)N3+H⋯N1-(A), (T)O4+H⋯N1-(A) / (T)N3+H⋯N1-(A) and (T)O2+H⋯N1-(A) H-bonds are found in the transition states TSA-·T+A·T(WC)↔A*·T(rwWC) / TSA-·T+A·T(rWC)↔A*·T(wWC). However, in the transition state TSA-·T+A·Т(H)↔A*N7·T(rwH) / TSA-·T+A·Т(rH)↔A*N7·T(wH), the (T)N3+H⋯N7-(A), (T)O4+H⋯N7-(A) / (T)N3+H⋯N7-(A) and (T)O2+H⋯N7-(A) H-bonds are supplemented by the attractive (T)O4+/O2+⋯N6-(A) van der Waals contacts. It was demonstrated that the products of the tautomerization of the classical A∙T DNA base pairs-A*∙Т(rwWC), A*N7∙Т(rwH) and A*N7∙Т(wH) (symmetry Cs)-further transform via double proton transfer into the energetically favorable wobble A∙T*(rwWC), A∙T*(rwH) and A∙T*O2(wH) base mispairs (symmetry Cs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ol’ha O. Brovarets’
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Kostiantyn S. Tsiupa
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro M. Hovorun
- Department of Molecular and Quantum Biophysics, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of High Technologies, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
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