Hydration Waters Make Up for the Missing Third Hydrogen Bond in the A·T Base Pair.

ABSTRACT: Base pairing complementarity is central to DNA function. G·C and A·T pair specificity is thought to originate from the different number of hydrogen bonds the pairs make. Quantifying how many hydrogen bonds exist can be difficult because water molecules in the surrounding can make up for or disrupt direct hydrogen bonds, and the hydration structures around A·T and G·C pairs on duplex DNA are distinct. Large-scale computer simulations have been used here to create a detailed map for the hydration structure on A·T and G·C base pairs in water. The contributions of specific hydration waters to the free energy of each of the hydrogen bonds in the A·T and G·C pairs were computed. Using the equilibrium fractions of hydrated versus unhydrated states from the hydration profiles, the impact of specif

SUBMITTER: Mak CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10979491 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature