Local DNA Base Conformations and Ligand Intercalation in DNA Constructs Containing Optical Probes.

ABSTRACT: Understanding local conformations of DNA at the level of individual nucleic acid bases and base pairs is important for elucidating molecular processes that depend on DNA sequence. Here, we apply linear absorption and circular dichroism measurements to the study of local DNA conformations, using the guanine base analog 6-methyl isoxanthopterin (6-MI) as a structural probe. We show that the spectroscopic properties of this probe can provide detailed information about the average local base and basepair conformations as a function of the surrounding DNA sequence. Based on these results we apply a simple theoretical model to calculate the circular dichroism spectra of 6-MI-substituted DNA constructs and show that our model can be used to extract information about how the local conformations of

SUBMITTER: Ji H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6818173 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature