Molecular dynamics simulations of a r(GA12G).d(CT12C) hybrid duplex

DNA structural forms

In the years that have passed since the publication of Wolfram Saenger's classic book on nucleic acid structure (Saenger, 1984), a considerable amount of new data has been accumulated on the range of conformations which can be adopted by DNA. Many unusual species have joined the DNA zoo, including new varieties of two, three and four stranded helices. Much has been learnt about intrinsic DNA curvature, dynamics and conformational transitions and many types of damaged or deformed DNA have been investigated. In this article, we will try to summarise this progress, pointing out the scope of the various experimental techniques used to study DNA structure, and, where possible, trying to discern the rules which govern the behaviour of this subtle macromolecule. The article is divided into six major sections which begin with a general discussion of DNA structure and then present successively, B-DNA, DNA deformations, A-DNA, Z-DNA and DNARNA hybrids. An extensive set of references is included and should serve the reader who wishes to delve into greater detai.

Calculations of nucleic acid conformations

The present computational power and sophistication of theoretical approaches to nucleic acid structural investigation are sufficient for the realization of static and dynamic models that correlate accurately with current crystallographic, NMR and solution-probing structural data, and consequently are able to provide valuable insights and predictions for a variety of nucleic acid conformational families. In molecular dynamics simulations, the year 1995 was marked by the foray of fast Ewald methods, an accomplishment resulting from several years' work in the search for an adequate treatment of the electrostatic long-range forces so primordial in nucleic acid behavior. In very large systems, and particularly in the RNA-folding field, techniques originating from artificial intelligence research, like constraint satisfaction programming or genetic algorithms, have established their utility and potential.

Structure and dynamics of a DNA.RNA hybrid duplex with a chiral phosphorothioate moiety: NMR and molecular dynamics with conventional and time-averaged restraints

The three-dimensional structure of two thiophosphate-modified DNA.RNA hybrid duplexes d(GCTATAApsTGG).r(CCAUUAUAGC), one with R-thiophosphate chirality and one with S-thiophosphate chirality, have been determined by restrained molecular dynamics simulations (rMD). As the two yielded almost identical results, a description of results can be presented in the singular. The conformational flexibility of this hybrid has been investigated by employing time-averaged constraints during the molecular dynamics simulations (MD-tar). A set of structural restraints, comprising 322 precise interproton distance constraints obtained by a complete relaxation matrix analysis of the 2D NOE intensities as well as J coupling constants obtained from quantitative simulations of DQF-COSY cross-peaks in deoxyriboses, was reported in our previous paper [González, C., Stec, W., Kobylanska, A., Hogrefe, R. I., Reynolds, M., & James, T. L. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 11062-11072]. Multiple conformations of the deoxyribose moieties were evident from the scalar coupling constant analysis. Accurate distance constraints, obtained from complete relaxation matrix analysis, yielded a time-averaged solution structure via conventional restrained molecular dynamics which is not compatible with the experimental J coupling constants (root-mean-square deviation in J value approximately 2 Hz). However, vicinal coupling constant information can be reproduced when time-averaged constraints are used during the molecular dynamics calculations instead of the conventional restraints (Jrms approximately 0.6 Hz). MD-tar simulations also improve the NMR R factors. This improvement is more evident in the DNA than in the RNA strand, where no indication of conformational flexibility had been obtained. Analysis of the MD-tar trajectories confirms that deoxyriboses undergo pucker transitions between the S and N domain, with the major conformer in the S domain. The ribose moieties in the RNA strand, however, remain in the N domain during the entire simulation. Conformations of deoxyriboses in the intermediate domain near O4'-endo are obtained when the average structure is calculated with conventional NMR restraints. Since these conformations cannot account for the experimental J coupling information, and they only appear in a very low population in the MD-tar ensemble, we conclude that intermediate E sugar puckers are artifacts produced by the attempt to fit all the structural constraints simultaneously when in reality more than one conformer is present. Most structural features of the duplex remain the same in the average structure and in the MD-tar ensemble, e.g., the minor groove width, exhibiting an intermediate value compared with those of canonical A- and B-like structures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Molecular mechanics and dynamics studies on two structurally related amide-modified DNA backbones for antisense technology

The effect of the replacement of the natural phosphodiester linkage -C3'-O-PO2-O-CH2-C4'- in the DNA strand of RNA.DNA hybrid duplexes by either of the two amide linkages -C3'-CH2-CO-NH-CH2-C4'- or -C3'-CH2-NH-CO-CH2-C4' has been investigated by molecular mechanics (MM) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Conformational analysis has been used to assess various low-energy conformers of the amide-modified backbones. MD simulations have been carried out to study the dynamic behavior of the modified duplexes. The modified RNA.DNA hybrid double helices kept a conservative base pairing scheme during the MD simulations. Although the general behavior has been found to be similar to that of the corresponding wild-type hybrid duplexes, some notable differences, especially regarding the sugar puckering in the amide-modified DNA strands, have been observed. The behavior of the RNA strands in the hybrid duplexes has not been affected by the modified DNA strands and is similar to that in wild-type RNA.DNA duplexes.

The solution structure of a 3'-phenazinium (Pzn) tethered DNA-RNA duplex with a dangling adenosine: r(5'G-AUUGAA3'):d(5'TCAATC3'-Pzn)

The 3'-Pzn group tethered to an oligo-DNA stabilizes a DNA-RNA hybrid duplex structure by 13 degrees C compared to the natural counterpart. This report constitutes the first full study of the conformational features of a hybrid DNA-RNA duplex, which has been possible because of the unique stabilization of this rather small duplex by the tethered 3'-Pzn moiety (Tm approximately 40 degrees C from NMR). In this study, a total of 252 inter- and intra-strand torsional and distance constraints along with the full NOE relaxation matrix, taking into account the exchange process of imino and amino protons with water, have been used. The 3'-Pzn-promoted stabilization of the DNA-RNA hybrid duplex results in detailed local conformational characteristics such as the torsion angles of the backbone and sugar moieties that are close to the features of the other natural DNA-RNA hybrids (i.e. sugars of the RNA strand are 3'-endo, but the sugars of the DNA strand are intermediate between A- and B-forms of DNA, 72 degrees < P < 180 degrees; note however, that the sugars of our DNA strand have a C1-exo conformation: 131 degrees < P < 154 degrees). This study suggests that 3'-Pzn-tethered smaller oligo-DNA should serve the same purpose as a larger oligo-DNA as a antisense inhibitor of the viral mRNA. Additionally, these types of tethered oligos have been found to be relatively more resistant to the cellular nuclease. Moreover, they are taken up quite readily through the cellular membrane (14) compared to the natural counterparts.