Differential stability of DNA crossovers in solution mediated by divalent cations.

ABSTRACT: The assembly of DNA duplexes into higher-order structures plays a major role in many vital cellular functions such as recombination, chromatin packaging and gene regulation. However, little is currently known about the molecular structure and stability of direct DNA-DNA interactions that are required for such functions. In nature, DNA helices minimize electrostatic repulsion between double helices in several ways. Within crystals, B-DNA forms either right-handed crossovers by groove-backbone interaction or left-handed crossovers by groove-groove juxtaposition. We evaluated the stability of such crossovers at various ionic concentrations using large-scale atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show that right-handed DNA crossovers are thermodynamically stable in solution in t

SUBMITTER: Varnai P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2896531 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature