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The DNA Helix

The DNA Helix

The DNA Helix

The DNA Helix

DNA as a Genetic Template

DNA as a Genetic Template

Two structural features of the DNA molecule provide a basis for the mechanisms of heredity: the four nucleotide bases and its double-stranded nature. The Watson-Crick model of double-helical DNA structure, proposed in 1952, drew heavily upon the X-ray crystallography work of researchers Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in 1962. Franklin was, controversially, excluded from the prize for...

The DNA Helix

The DNA Helix

Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the genetic material responsible for passing traits from generation to generation in all organisms and most viruses. DNA is composed of two strands of nucleotides that wind around each other to form a spring-like structure called a double helix. However, the double helix is not perfectly symmetrical. Instead, there are regularly occurring grooves in the structure. The major groove occurs where the sugar-phosphate backbones are relatively far apart. This space...

DNA as a Genetic Template

DNA as a Genetic Template

Two structural features of the DNA molecule provide a basis for the mechanisms of heredity: the four nucleotide bases and its double-stranded nature. The Watson-Crick model of double-helical DNA structure, proposed in 1952, drew heavily upon the X-ray crystallography work of researchers Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work in 1962. Franklin was, controversially, excluded from the prize for...

Nucleic Acid Structure

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The pentose sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, while in RNA the pentose sugar is ribose. The difference between the sugars is the presence of the hydroxyl group on the ribose's second carbon and a hydrogen on the deoxyribose's second carbon. The phosphate residue attaches to the hydroxyl group of the 5′ carbon of one sugar and the hydroxyl group of the 3′ carbon of the sugar of the next nucleotide, which forms a 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage.
DNA Structure
DNA has a double-helix structure. The...

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Related Experiment Video

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Analyzing and Building Nucleic Acid Structures with 3DNA

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Published on: April 26, 2013

Structure of a copper-mediated base pair in DNA.

S Atwell¹, E Meggers, G Spraggon

¹Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.

Journal of the American Chemical Society

|December 6, 2001

Summary

Researchers explored DNA structural changes using novel metal-coordinated base pairs. The study found these metallo-base pairs induce a Z-DNA conformation, influencing DNA structure and stability.

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Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Structural Biology
Synthetic Biology

Background:

DNA base pairing is fundamental to genetic information storage and transfer.
Traditional DNA utilizes Watson-Crick base pairing (adenine-thymine, guanine-cytosine).
Metal coordination offers a novel approach to create artificial DNA base pairs.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the structural implications of incorporating metal-coordinated base pairs into DNA.
To understand how these novel base pairs affect DNA conformation and stability.
To elucidate the mechanism behind DNA B- to Z-DNA transitions induced by these metallo-base pairs.

Main Methods:

Crystal structure determination of a DNA duplex containing the pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate (Dipic) and pyridine (Py) metallo-base pair.
Solution studies to assess the compatibility of the metallo-base pair with different DNA conformations.
Sequence analysis to correlate DNA sequence with observed conformational changes.

Main Results:

The crystal structure revealed that the Dipic-Py metallo-base pair forms as designed.
The metallo-base pair incorporation induced a Z-DNA conformation in the duplex.
A structural basis for the B- to Z-DNA transition was identified.
Solution studies confirmed the metallo-base pair's adaptability to both Z- and B-DNA forms.

Conclusions:

Metallo-base pairs can be stably and selectively incorporated into DNA.
The introduction of Dipic-Py metallo-base pairs can drive DNA into a Z-DNA conformation.
The DNA sequence plays a crucial role in determining the compatibility of metallo-base pairs with B- or Z-DNA structures.
This work opens avenues for designing novel DNA structures with tailored properties.