IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v10y2019i1d10.1038_s41467-019-12440-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Concerted dynamics of metallo-base pairs in an A/B-form helical transition

Author

Listed:
  • Olivia P. Schmidt

    (University of Zurich)

  • Simon Jurt

    (University of Zurich)

  • Silke Johannsen

    (University of Zurich)

  • Ashkan Karimi

    (University of Zurich)

  • Roland K. O. Sigel

    (University of Zurich)

  • Nathan W. Luedtke

    (University of Zurich)

Abstract

Metal-mediated base pairs expand the repertoire of nucleic acid structures and dynamics. Here we report solution structures and dynamics of duplex DNA containing two all-natural C-HgII-T metallo base pairs separated by six canonical base pairs. NMR experiments reveal a 3:1 ratio of well-resolved structures in dynamic equilibrium. The major species contains two (N3)T-HgII-(N3)C base pairs in a predominantly B-form helix. The minor species contains (N3)T-HgII-(N4)C base pairs and greater A-form characteristics. Ten-fold different 1J coupling constants (15N,199Hg) are observed for (N3)C-HgII (114 Hz) versus (N4)C-HgII (1052 Hz) connectivities, reflecting differences in cytosine ionization and metal-bonding strengths. Dynamic interconversion between the two types of C-HgII-T base pairs are coupled to a global conformational exchange between the helices. These observations inspired the design of a repetitive DNA sequence capable of undergoing a global B-to-A-form helical transition upon adding HgII, demonstrating that C-HgII-T has unique switching potential in DNA-based materials and devices.

Suggested Citation

  • Olivia P. Schmidt & Simon Jurt & Silke Johannsen & Ashkan Karimi & Roland K. O. Sigel & Nathan W. Luedtke, 2019. "Concerted dynamics of metallo-base pairs in an A/B-form helical transition," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-12440-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12440-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-12440-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-019-12440-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-12440-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.