Direct NMR Evidence that Transient Tautomeric and Anionic States in dG·dT Form Watson-Crick-like Base Pairs.

ABSTRACT: The replicative and translational machinery utilizes the unique geometry of canonical G·C and A·T/U Watson-Crick base pairs to discriminate against DNA and RNA mismatches in order to ensure high fidelity replication, transcription, and translation. There is growing evidence that spontaneous errors occur when mismatches adopt a Watson-Crick-like geometry through tautomerization and/or ionization of the bases. Studies employing NMR relaxation dispersion recently showed that wobble dG·dT and rG·rU mismatches in DNA and RNA duplexes transiently form tautomeric and anionic species with probabilities (≈0.01-0.40%) that are in concordance with replicative and translational errors. Although computational studies indicate that these exceptionally short-lived and low-abundance species form Watson-Cr

SUBMITTER: Szymanski ES 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5581979 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature