Abstract
A model is presented for double-stranded polynucleotides which involves side-by-side meshing of the two strands rather than double helical intertwining. The sugar-phosphate backbone has a twisted strip-like character, yet base-pairing of the Watson-Crick type is still possible. Structural features of the basic model are described and coordinates are presented for a representative example. The structure has, on the whole, reasonable sterochemical contacts, and can be shown to produce a fiber diffraction pattern with x-rays not unlike that of the B form of DNA.
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Arnott S., Chandrasekaran R., Hukins D. W., Smith P. J., Watts L. Structural details of double-helix observed for DNAs containing alternating purine and pyrimidine sequences. J Mol Biol. 1974 Sep 15;88(2):523–533. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(74)90499-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Crick F. H., Klug A. Kinky helix. Nature. 1975 Jun 12;255(5509):530–533. doi: 10.1038/255530a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pohl F. M., Jovin T. M., Baehr W., Holbrook J. J. Ethidium bromide as a cooperative effector of a DNA structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 Dec;69(12):3805–3809. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.12.3805. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pohl F. M., Jovin T. M. Salt-induced co-operative conformational change of a synthetic DNA: equilibrium and kinetic studies with poly (dG-dC). J Mol Biol. 1972 Jun 28;67(3):375–396. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(72)90457-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pohl F. M. Polymorphism of a synthetic DNA in solution. Nature. 1976 Mar 25;260(5549):365–366. doi: 10.1038/260365a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Viswamitra M. A., Seshadri T. P., Post M. L. An uncommon nucleotide conformation shown by molecular structure of deoxyuridine-5'-phosphate and nucleic acid stereochemistry. Nature. 1975 Dec 11;258(5535):542–544. doi: 10.1038/258542a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WATSON J. D., CRICK F. H. Molecular structure of nucleic acids; a structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid. Nature. 1953 Apr 25;171(4356):737–738. doi: 10.1038/171737a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Yathindra N., Sundaralingam M. Conformational studies on pyrimidine 5'-monophosphates and 3',5'-diphosphates. Effect of the phosphate groups on the backbone conformation of polynucleotides. Biopolymers. 1973;12(10):2261–2277. doi: 10.1002/bip.1973.360121006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]