Evidence for an increase of DNA contour length at low ionic strength

Effect of sodium and acetate ions on 8-hydroxyguanine formation in irradiated aqueous solutions of DNA and 2'-deoxyguanosine 5'-monophosphate

PURPOSE

The aim of this work was to study the combined effect of sodium and acetate ions on the radiation yield of 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OHG), one of the major DNA base lesions induced by free radicals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Aqueous solutions of DNA and 2'-deoxyguanosine 5'-monophosphate (dGMP) with various concentrations of sodium acetate and sodium perchlorate were γ-irradiated, enzymatically digested and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods.

RESULTS

It was found that both salts decrease the 8-OHG radiation yield in the concentration range studied for both DNA and dGMP, except in the case of dGMP wherein an increase in yield occurs in the concentration range from 0.1-1 mM. The dependence of the 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine radiation yield on the concentration of both sodium acetate and sodium perchlorate have different shapes and have steeper slopes for the DNA compared with the dGMP solutions.

CONCLUSIONS

The observed decrease in the radiation yield of 8-OHG with increasing concentrations of sodium acetate is consistent with the hypothesis that sodium acetate produces two concentration-dependent effects in the DNA solutions: (1) A conformational change in the DNA caused by Na(+) counterions; and (2) free radical reactions related to the radiolysis of acetate ion.

The intrinsic viscosity of linear DNA

We measured the intrinsic viscosity of very small synthetic DNA molecules, of 20-395 base pairs, and incorporated them in a nearly complete picture for the whole span of molecular weights reported in the literature to date. A major transition is observed at M approximately 2 × 10(6) . It is found that in the range of approximately 7 × 10(3) ≤ M ≤ 2 × 10(6) , the intrinsic viscosity scales as [η] approximately M(1.05) , suggesting that short DNA chains are not as rigid as generally thought. The corresponding scaling for the range of 2 × 10(6) ≤ M ≤ 8 × 10(10) is [η] approximately M(0.69) . A comparison of our results with existing equations, for much narrower data distributions, is made, and the agreement is very satisfactory considering the huge range of data analyzed here. Experimental concerns such as the effect of ionic strength, polydispersity, temperature, and shear rate are discussed in detail. Some issues concerning the Huggins coefficient, polymer chain stiffness, and the relationship between the Mark-Houwink constants K, α are also presented; it is found that log K = 1.156 - 6.19α.

Spectroscopic identification of binding modes of anthracene probes and DNA sequence recognition

The binding properties of two anthracene derivatives with calf thymus DNA (CT DNA), poly(dA-dT), and poly(dG) x poly(dC) are reported. One contained bulky, cyclic cationic substituents at the 9 and 10 positions, and the other carried acylic, branched, cationic substituents. Binding of the probes to the DNA was examined by calorimetry, spectroscopy and helix melting studies. The cyclic derivative indicated exothermic binding, strong hypochromism, bathochromism, positive induced circular dichroism (CD, 300-400 nm), significant unwinding of the helix, large increases in the helix melting temperature, strong but negative linear dichroism (LD, 300-400 nm) and considerable stabilization of the helix. In contrast, the acyclic analog indicated thermoneutral binding, smaller hypochromism, no bathochromism, very weak induced CD, and no change in the helix melting temperature with any of the DNA polymers. A sharp distinction between the binding properties of the two probes is indicated, and both have intrinsic binding constants of approximately 10(6) M(-1) for the three polymers. However, when the ionic strength of the medium was lowered (10 mM NaCl), the absorption as well as CD spectral changes associated with the binding of the acyclic derivative corresponded with those of the cyclic derivative. The acyclic derivative showed large preference (10-fold) for poly(dG) x poly(dC) over poly(dA-dT), whereas the cyclic analog showed no preference. The characteristic spectroscopic signatures of the two distinct binding modes of these probes will be helpful in deciphering the interaction of other anthracene derivatives with DNA.

DNA multimode interaction with berenil and pentamidine; double helix stiffening, unbending and bending

The antitrypanosomal drugs berenil (Ber) and pentamidine (Pm) preferentially bind to DNA in the minor groove of A.T-rich domains. The properties of A.T clusters are essential for sequence-mediated helix bending. Groove binding drugs locally stiffen the DNA helix but may also change intrinsic helix bends or may bend straight DNA. Ligand binding to randomly distributed sites alters the apparent DNA persistence length, a. Criteria permit the distinction of the underlying mechanism(s). Helix bends, if phased with the helix screw, however, generate solenoidal superhelix components mediating an apparent change of the hydrodynamically effective DNA contour length, L. The measurement of relative changes of both, a and L, as induced by Ber or Pm is performed by titration rotational viscometry. The determination of the two quantities requires two independent measurements: the relative change of DNA intrinsic viscosity, deltay, for short (tending to rod-like) DNA molecules and for comparably long (almost coil-like) ones as a function of r, the bound drug molecules per DNA-P, and this under conditions effectively excluding intramolecular DNA-DNA crosslinking effects. At least at r< or =0.05 and < or =0.03, respectively, the two drugs virtually bind completely to a eukaryotic DNA. r ranges of different drug binding strength and, concomitantly, of different specific conformational response, could be resolved. They represent (sub)modes of different DNA sequences... Whereas the mode-specific elongation effects are fairly similar for both systems, there are pronounced quantitative differences in the relative change of DNA persistence length. The sites of highest Ber-binding strength are correlated to unbent alternating helical A.T segments followed by bent and by less bent or unbent dAn.dTn tracts straightened on Ber-binding. For Pm-DNA interaction the ligand bends the sites of highest Pm affinity. Generally, ligand induced and sequence mediated local DNA-bend removal or DNA bending, as observed for several modes of interaction with A.T rich DNA, are considered to be of gene regulatory relevance.

Multimode interaction of Hoechst 33258 with eukaryotic DNA; quantitative analysis of the DNA conformational changes

The interaction of the minor groove binding ligand Hoechst 33258 (Hoe) with natural DNA was investigated by high resolution titration rotational viscometry. Analysis of the concomitant DNA conformational changes was performed with two DNA samples of sufficiently different molar mass M, at 4 degrees C, 22 degrees C and 40 degrees C, for Hoe/DNA-P ratios below r = 0.02. In this narrow r range several interaction modes could be resolved. The measured conformational changes were quantified in terms of relative changes of both apparent DNA persistence length, delta a/a, and hydrodynamically operative DNA contour length, deltaL/L. Delta a/a(r) primarily is a measure of ligand-induced DNA helix stiffening, but both, delta a/a(r) and deltaL/L(r), generally depend also on ligand binding induced DNA bending or DNA unbending. The essential difference obviously is that delta a/a(r) is influenced by the randomly distributed helix bends and deltaL/L(r) by phased ones. The measurements performed at different temperatures deliver informations about existence and temperature dependent abolition of intrinsic helix curvature. Both Hoe and netropsin (Nt) prefer binding to AT rich DNA segments, which are candidates for intrinsic DNA helix bends. But our data for Hoe interaction with calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) show characteristic differences to those for Nt-ctDNA interaction. Especially for Hoe, the mode of highest affinity is saturated already at a ligand concentration of roughly 1 nM (r approximately = 0.0015 Hoe/DNA-P). It exhibits an unusually strong temperature dependence of the conformational DNA response. A Hoe-Nt competition experiment shows that Hoe binding to the sites of the very first Hoe mode is almost unaffected by bound Nt. But Hoe binding to the sites of the following Hoe modes does not occur due to the competition with Nt. Thus this mode of strongest Hoe-DNA interaction reflects a unique mechanism, possibly of high relevance for gene regulatory systems.

Counterion-type characteristic effects on intrinsic bending components of calf thymus DNA; hydrodynamic investigations

This paper stresses structural differences in A.T clusters of the ammonium salt of calf thymus (ct) DNA (ctNH4DNA) and the respective sodium salt, ctNaDNA. Sequence mediated intrinsic helix bends of ctNaDNA, distributed along the molecule partially randomly and partially phased with the helix screw (accompanying paper), are enhanced in ctNH4DNA. Additionally, the number of the most strongly bent segments (of A-tract character) is raised in ctNH4DNA by a counterion mediated shift of the equilibrium between at least two local DNA conformations. Nevertheless, the apparent DNA elongation, induced by the abolition of a single apparent solenoid-related DNA tertiary structure component which generates a special intrinsic DNA bend, is the same for NH4DNA and NaDNA. These conclusions follow from two independent sets of experimental results: (1.) Titration viscometric measurements with ctNH4DNA as a function of the cation concentration in comparison to ctNaDNA (KER et al., JBSD 9,537 (1991)) and respective DNA conformational analyses. (2.) Quantitative viscometric analysis of DNA conformational changes on netropsin (Nt) interaction of ctNH4DNA at different temperatures and comparison with the respective data for ctNaDNA (KER et al., NAR 9,2335 (1981).

Abolition of intrinsically bent DNA structure components in AT clusters by netropsin interaction; titration viscometric investigations

It is argued that the enhancement of the apparent DNA contour length by the specifically binding non-intercalating drug netropsin (Nt) (Reinert et al., NAR 9, 2335, 1981) at very low Nt/DNA-phosphate ratios essentially is the result of an abolition of periodically arranged intrinsic helix bends in A.T rich tracts of base pairs. In the preceding paper the existence of pronounced DNA tertiary structure components has been postulated for (two species of) natural eukaryotic DNA. The resulting model suggests local apparent solenoid-related DNA tertiary structure components at high sodium ion concentration cs, partly/totally molten out at 45/60 C. With decreasing cs the tertiary structure components have been found to be gradually reduced, at least below cs = 0.010 M, as titration viscometrically revealed by a gradual rise of the apparent DNA contour length (Reinert et al., JBSD 9, 537, 1991). Hence, we performed titration viscometric analyses about Nt interaction with calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) at cs = 0.075 M, 0.010 M and 0.004 M Na+. The concomitant DNA conformational changes are quantitatively described in terms of the relative changes of both DNA persistence length and hydrodynamically operative apparent DNA contour length for the three first resolved interaction modes below a Nt/DNA-P ratio of 0.03. These experiments, together with previous respective analyses at cs = 0.20 M Na+ and different temperatures (l.c.), suggest that those DNA sites binding Nt most strongly predominantly are responsible for the formation of solenoid-related DNA tertiary structure components. Most probably these are A tract-containing sequences. As the essential factor for their apparent elongation effect at low Na+ concentrations, a gradual alteration of the number of base pairs per helix turn seems to occur below cs = 0.010 M Na+ and, concomitantly, a change in phasing between intrinsic helix bends and helix screw.

Eukaryotic DNAs in solution contain characteristic components of tertiary structure

For natural eukaryotic DNA in solution, we suggest the existence of secondary-helix components superponed to parts of the DNA double helices. In a previous report we found, for calf thymus DNA in solution and of different mean molar mass Mr, an electrostatically driven rise of the hydrodynamically operative contour length of the double helix. This result was derived from Mr-dependent systematic deviations from the almost but not exactly linear plots of intrinsic viscosity [eta] as a function of 1/cs1/2 (cs = Na+ concentration) accurately determined by a titration technique [K.G. and K.E.R., Nucl. Acids Res. 8, 2807 (1980)]. In order to discriminate between DNA elongation contributions caused by secondary or by tertiary structure effects, respective measurements have now been extended to different temperatures for two eukaryotic and two prokaryotic DNA species. The slope of the curves obtained for the (apparent) gradual elongation effect as a function of temperature is negative for the eukaryotic DNAs investigated and is smaller and positive for the prokaryotic species, thus revealing different underlying main elongation mechanisms. We propose that, for the eukaryotic DNA samples, an electrostatically driven partial abolition of tertiary structure components is responsible for the prevailing part of the DNA elongation effect measured. (A helix elongation of this type may be the result of an abolition of an apparent helix shortening as realized in a very high degree on formation of nucleosome chains or in a less degree by DNA molecules with a respective evolutionarily fitted tertiary structure). For the smaller effects of prokaryotic DNA species something like a base breathing seems to dominate. Recent literature results support such an interpretation.

A comparison by ultracentrifugation of the effects on DNA of ethidium bromide and of acridine orange at low ionic strength

The application of scaled particle theory to the gels formed by DNA in the ultracentrifuge has provided values for the effective length and the effective radius of the DNA particle. Ethidium bromide has been shown to cause extensive lengthening of the DNA in dilute salt. Acridine orange interaction with DNA resulted in modest changes in DNA dimensions. These results are explained in terms of binding for acridine orange and of denaturation of DNA by ethidium bromide.

A magnetic viscometer for shear-sensitive macromolecules

This paper is a report about a rotation-viscometer with a submerged rotor which has been developed for measuring the viscosity of biological macromolecules. The device avoids the effects of surface disturbance. The rotor is centered and height-balanced electromagnetically and is controlled by a light barrier. The driving force is a rotating electromagnetic field and rotor revolution periods are measured by an electronic timer controlled by a second ligh barrier. Shearing effects are negligible if very slow revolutions are pre-selected; thus, intrinsic viscosity values for DNA can be obtained by merely extrapolating the concentration dependence. In contrast to DNA, chromatin has a very low viscosity with almost no dependence on concentration. If the ionic strength of a chromatin solution is decreased, the viscosity increases due to structural unfolding.

Anthracycline-binding induced DNA stiffening, bending and elongation; stereochemical implications from viscometric investigations

Upon interaction of the three anthracycline antibiotics daunomycin, adriamycin, and aclacinomycin A with calf thymus DNA the relative changes of both DNA contour length, delta L/Lo, and persistence length, delta a/ao, have been determined as a function of r, the ratio of bound ligand molecules per DNA mononucleotide. From the r dependence of delta a/ao a measure for the stiffening effect and also the angle gamma of ligand-induced DNA bending could be derived. Experimental basis are titration viscometric measurements upon both low and high molecular weight DNA. It was found that the DNA contour length increases linearly with r by approximately 0.34 nm per bound drug molecule. The comparatively very high DNA stiffening effect measured in solution is understandable as a result of helix clamping by at least two anthracycline groups of sufficient long distance. The variation of gamma on DNA interaction with different anthracycline derivatives find their explanation in terms of different values of the mismatch to in-register binding prior to complex formation. From an analogous interpretation of viscosity measurements by Arcamone and coworkers upon high molecular weight DNA with many anthracycline derivatives it can be concluded that DNA interaction by both amino sugar and 9-acetyl group are responsible for the generation of strong anthracycline binding mediated DNA stiffening effects in solution. (A combined analysis of the viscosity measurements by Cohen & Eisenberg and Armstrong et al. upon DNA interaction with proflavine indicates a very small DNA stiffening effect, gamma = 6.7 sigma and a helix elongation by 0.35 nm per bound ligand molecule.)

Aspects of specific DNA-protein interaction; local bending of DNA molecules by in-register binding of the oligopeptide antibiotic distamycin

Distamycin A binds strongly/moderately to DNA below/above r = 0.08 molecules bound per DNA phosphate. Titration viscometric measurements for high and low molecular weight DNA yielded the relative changes of DNA persistence length, delta alpha/alpha 0, and contour length, delta L/L0 (Nucl. Acids Res. 7 (1979) 1375). delta L/L0 is negligible/positive in the range below/above r = 0.09 at 0.2 M Na+! A two-line covering of the small groove by ligand molecules explains the increase of contour length. The characteristic delta alpha/alpha 0 drop is quantitatively interpreted by local DNA bending (kinking). The underlying theoretical basis is presented in two appendices and applied, in a third one, to literature data for the DNA-actinomycin system. The angle gamma of local DNA bending as induced by complex formation with different distamycin derivatives is presented for DNA species of different base composition. By means of appropriate model, a length mismatch per dinucleotide of (0.03(2) +/- 0.01)nm [or (0.04(3) +/- 0.01)nm] was derived from the experimentally obtained bending angle per dinucleotide of (1.6 +/- 0.4)0 [or (2.1 +/- 0.05)0], independent of DNA base composition and distamycin chain length.

Counterion dependent variation of DNA secondary structure in (A . T) clusters: evidence by use of netropsin as a structural probe

The interaction of the oligopeptide antibiotic netropsin (Nt) with (A . T) regions of DNA is characterized by a spectrum of discrete modes. This has been revealed by viscometric analysis, at 20 degrees C and 0.2 M "counterions", for NaDNA in a preceding and for NH4DNA in this paper. The increase of DNA contour length as induced by one Nt molecule was found to depend on the special mode only, while the respective stiffening is generally higher for NH4DNA. The latter property is interpreted in terms of an enhanced flexibility, relative to that of NaDNA, of the (A . T) cluster segments before complex formation. For some of the interaction modes of the DNA-Nt systems a difference in the number of corresponding binding sites has been observed. This phenomenon is understood by assuming an influence of the counterion species upon existing equilibria between different forms of the (A . T) cluster secondary structure. Not less than 5 to 10% of the total DNA are effected in this manner. Upper limits for the local differences in the axial rise per base pair are 0.04 nm and 0.02 nm.