Dimeric DNA quadruplex containing major groove-aligned A·T·A·T and G·C·G·C tetrads stabilized by inter-subunit Watson-Crick A·T and G·C pairs Journal Article


Authors: Zhang, N.; Gorin, A.; Majumdar, A.; Kettani, A.; Chernichenko, N.; Skripkin, E.; Patel, D. J.
Article Title: Dimeric DNA quadruplex containing major groove-aligned A·T·A·T and G·C·G·C tetrads stabilized by inter-subunit Watson-Crick A·T and G·C pairs
Abstract: We report on an NMR study of unlabeled and uniformly 13C,15N-labeled d(GAGCAGGT) sequence in 1 M NaCl solution, conditions under which it forms a head-to-head dimeric quadruplex containing sequentially stacked G·C·G·C, G·G·G·G and A·T·A·T tetrads. We have identified, for the first time, a slipped A·T·A·T tetrad alignment, involving recognition of Watson-Crick A·T pairs along the major groove edges of opposing adenine residues. Strikingly, both Watson-Crick G·C and A·T pairings within the direct G·C·G·C and slipped A·T·A·T tetrads, respectively, occur between rather than within hairpin subunits of the dimeric d(GAGCAGGT) quadruplex. The hairpin turns in the head-to-head dimeric quadruplex involve single adenine residues and adds to our knowledge of chain reversal involving edgewise loops in DNA quadruplexes. Our structural studies, together with those from other laboratories, definitively establish that DNA quadruplex formation is not restricted to Gn repeat sequences, with their characteristic stacked uniform G·G·G·G tetrad architectures. Rather, the quadruplex fold is a more versatile and robust architecture, accessible to a range of mixed sequences, with the potential to facilitate G·C·G·C and A·T·A·T tetrad through major and minor groove alignment, in addition to G·G·G·G tetrad formation. The definitive experimental identification of such major groove-aligned mixed A·T·A·T and G·C·G·C tetrads within a quadruplex scaffold, has important implications for the potential alignment of duplex segments during homologous recombination.© 2001 Academic Press.
Keywords: molecular dynamics; dna; recombination, genetic; nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; base sequence; base pairing; hydrogen bond; hydrogen bonding; models, molecular; protons; thermodynamics; dimerization; nucleic acid conformation; sodium chloride; nuclear magnetic resonance, biomolecular; dimer; gc rich sequence; nuclear overhauser effect; priority journal; article; at rich sequence; a·t·a·t and g·c·g·c tetrads; dimeric dna quadruplex; hydrogen bond alignments; inter-subunit watson-crick pairs; cations, monovalent
Journal Title: Journal of Molecular Biology
Volume: 312
Issue: 5
ISSN: 0022-2836
Publisher: Academic Press Inc., Elsevier Science  
Date Published: 2001-10-05
Start Page: 1073
End Page: 1088
Language: English
DOI: 10.1006/jmbi.2001.5002
PUBMED: 11580251
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Export Date: 21 May 2015 -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Andrey A Gorin
    25 Gorin
  2. Dinshaw J Patel
    477 Patel
  3. Na Zhang
    8 Zhang