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Publication Abstract from PubMed

DNA can adopt many other structures beyond the canonical B-form double helix. There has been a growing interest in using non-canonical base pairs to provide structural diversity for designing DNA architectures for nanotechnology applications. We recently described the crystal structure of d(ACTCGGATGAT) which forms a tetraplex through parallel-stranded homobase pairs and nucleobase intercalation. Here, we examine the structural implications of the homo-pyrimidine base pair within this motif. We have determined crystal structures of two variants that differ from the original structure in the homo-pyrimidine base pairs and number of d(YGA) motifs. Our results show that the intercalation-locked tetraplex motif is predictable and that the substitution of C-C base pairs for T-T base pairs introduces asymmetry to the homoduplex. This hasimplications for utilizing d(YGA) motifs in DNA crystal design and may provide a basis for understanding local structures associated with repeat expansions.

Structural implications of homo-pyrimidine base pairs in the parallel-stranded d(YGA) motif.,Tripathi S, Paukstelis PJ Chembiochem. 2015 Dec 2. doi: 10.1002/cbic.201500491. PMID:26629965^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.