Can G-C Hoogsteen-wobble pairs contribute to the stability of d(G. C-C) triplexes?

A dielectric and spectrophotometric study of the tautomerization of 2-hydroxypyridine and 2-mercaptopyridine in water

The basic ionization (pk₁) and acidic ionization (pk₂) constants and equilibrium constant (K_T) of 2HPy and 2MPy were determined. The pk₁(s) of their N- and X-methyl derivatives (X = O, S) were also determined. The equilibrium constant of 2MPy is approximately 60 times greater than its oxygen analog, 2HPy. The micro-ionization constants of the functional groups, –NH (pk_A and pk_C) and –XH (pk_B and pk_D), were determined to provide further insights into the ionization equilibria of these N-heteroaromatic XH compounds (2HPy and 2MPy). The relaxation time of water (τ) in aqueous solutions of 2HPy and 2MPy are collectively used with the K_T values to determine the forward (k_f) and backward (k_b) rate constants of tautomerization. Subsequently, the k_f and k_b are used to provide the rationale for the K_T and τ values.

The basic ionization (pk₁) and acidic ionization (pk₂) constants and equilibrium constant (K_T) of 2HPy and 2MPy were determined.

Interference between Triplex and Protein Binding to Distal Sites on Supercoiled DNA

We have explored the interdependence of the binding of a DNA triplex and a repressor protein to distal recognition sites on supercoiled DNA minicircles using MD simulations. We observe that the interaction between the two ligands through their influence on their DNA template is determined by a subtle interplay of DNA mechanics and electrostatics, that the changes in flexibility induced by ligand binding play an important role and that supercoiling can instigate additional ligand-DNA contacts that would not be possible in simple linear DNA sequences.

Unique tautomeric properties of isoguanine

The tautomeric properties of isoguanine (also named 2-oxoadenine or 2-hydroxyadenine) have been studied in the gas phase, in different pure solvents, and in the DNA environment using state of the art theoretical methods. Our results show that isoguanine constitutes an unique example of how tautomerism can be modulated by the environment. Compared to the tautomeric preference in the gas phase, both polar solvents and the DNA microenvironment dramatically change the intrinsic tautomeric properties of isoguanine. Tautomers which are important in physiological conditions are less than 1/10(5) of the total population of isoguanine in the gas phase. The impact of the present findings in the understanding of spontaneous mutations and in the design of new nucleobases with multiple recognition properties is discussed.

Antiparallel triple helices. Structural characteristics and stabilization by 8-amino derivatives

The structural, dynamical, and recognition properties of antiparallel DNA triplexes formed by the antiparallel d(G#G.C), d(A#A.T), and d(T#A.T) motifs (the pound sign and dot mean reverse-Hoogsteen and Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds, respectively) are studied by means of "state of the art" molecular dynamics simulations. Once the characteristics of the helix are defined, molecular dynamics and thermodynamic integration calculations are used to determine the expected stabilization of the antiparallel triplex caused by the introduction of 8-aminopurines. Finally, oligonucleotides containing 8-aminopurine derivatives are synthesized and tested experimentally using several approaches in a variety of systems. A very large stabilization of the triplex is found experimentally, as predicted by simulations. These results open the possibility for the use of oligonucleotides carrying 8-aminopurines to bind single-stranded nucleic acids by formation of antiparallel triplexes.

Resolution of parallel and antiparallel oligonucleotide triple helices formation and melting processes by multivariate curve resolution

A procedure is described for the complete resolution of concentration profiles of oligonucleotide triplexes as a function of pH and temperature. The pH and temperature ranges at which triplexes are present and the relative concentrations of all the species involved in acid-base and conformational equilibria are successfully estimated from Multivariate Curve Resolution analysis of UV absorbance spectra recorded along acid-base titrations and melting experiments of single stranded, hairpin and their mixtures. The dependence of formation constants upon pH was successfully estimated. The hairpin h26 (5'-GAAGGAGGAGA-TTTT-TCTCCTCCTTC-3'), and the single stranded oligonucleotides s11CT (5'-CTTCCTCCTCT-3'), s11AG (5'-AGAGGAGGAAG-3') and s11TG (5'-TGTGGTGGTTG-3') were synthesized and their protonation and conformational equilibria were studied in detail. The procedure was shown to be especially useful for the study of triplexes with a low hypochromism upon formation.

Simulations of nucleic acids and their complexes

Recent years have seen considerable progress in simulations of nucleic acids. Improvements in force fields, simulation techniques and protocols, and increasing computer power have all contributed to making nanosecond-scale simulations of both DNA and RNA commonplace. The results are already helping to explain how nucleic acids respond to their environment and to their base sequence and to reveal the factors underlying recognition processes by probing biologically important nucleic acid-protein interactions and medically important nucleic acid-drug complexation. This Account summarizes methodological progress and applications of molecular dynamics to nucleic acids over the past few years and tries to identify remaining challenges.

Beyond nucleic acid base pairs: from triads to heptads

Hydrogen-bonded base pairs are an important determinant of nucleic acid structure and function. However, other interactions such as base-base stacking, base-backbone, and backbone-backbone interactions as well as effects exerted by the solvent and by metal or NH(4)(+) ions also have to be taken into account. In addition, hydrogen-bonded base complexes involving more than two bases can occur. With the rapidly increasing number and structural diversity of nucleic acid structures known at atomic detail higher-order hydrogen-bonded base complexes, base polyads, have attracted much interest. This review provides an overview on the occurrence of base polyads in nucleic acid structures and describes computational studies on these nucleic acid building blocks.

Hoogsteen-based parallel-stranded duplexes of DNA. Effect of 8-amino-purine derivatives

The structure of parallel-stranded duplexes of DNA-containing a mixture of guanines (G) and adenines (A) is studied by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, as well as NMR and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Results demonstrate that the structure is based on the Hoogsteen motif rather than on the reverse Watson-Crick one. Molecular dynamics coupled to thermodynamic integration (MD/TI) calculations and melting experiments allowed us to determine the effect of 8-amino derivatives of A and G and of 8-amino-2'-deoxyinosine on the stability of parallel-stranded duplexes. The large stabilization of the parallel-stranded helix upon 8-amino substitution agrees with a Hoogsteen pairing, confirming MD, NMR, and CD data, and suggests new methods to obtain DNA triplexes for antigene and antisense purposes.

Misincorporation of 2'-deoxyoxanosine into DNA: a molecular basis for NO-induced mutagenesis derived from theoretical calculations

A wide range of theoretical methods, including high level ab initio, density functional, self-consistent reaction field, molecular dynamics and thermodynamic integration calculations, have been used to analyze the mutagenic properties of oxanosine. The major tautomeric forms in the gas phase and aqueous solution have been determined. The ability of oxanosine to recognize thymine and cytosine in the gas phase and in the DNA environment has been compared with that of guanine. A physicochemical explanation for the mutagenic properties of oxanosine is suggested.

DNA-triplex stabilizing properties of 8-aminoguanine

A DNA-triplex stabilizing purine (8-aminoguanine) is designed based on molecular modeling and synthesized. The substitution of guanine by 8-aminoguanine largely stabilizes the triplex both at neutral and acidic pH, as suggested by molecular dynamics and thermodynamic integration calculations, and demonstrated by melting experiments. NMR experiments confirm the triplex-stabilizing properties of 8-aminoguanine and demonstrate that few changes are found in the structure of the triplex due to the presence of this modified base.