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Related Concept Videos

Solubility03:00

Solubility

Solution, Solubility, and Solubility Equilibrium
A solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of a solvent, the major component, and a solute, the minor component. The physical state of a solution—solid, liquid, or gas—is typically the same as that of the solvent. Solute concentrations are often described with qualitative terms such as dilute (of relatively low concentration) and concentrated (of relatively high concentration).
In a solution, the solute particles (molecules, atoms, and/or ions)...
DNA Isolation01:34

DNA Isolation

DNA from cells is required for many biotechnology and research applications, such as molecular cloning. To remove and purify DNA from cells, researchers use various methods of DNA extraction. While the specifics of different protocols may vary, some general concepts underlie the process of DNA extraction.
DNA Isolation01:24

DNA Isolation

DNA isolation protocols can be fast and straightforward or complex and time-consuming depending on the type and quality of DNA required for further processing. For example, plasmid DNA extraction is a bit more complicated than genomic DNA extraction because of the need for an appropriate lysis method to separate plasmid DNA from gDNA during isolation. However, for specific applications, such as long-range DNA sequencing that require a good yield of high- quality DNA samples, we need to follow...
Entropy and Solvation02:05

Entropy and Solvation

The process of surrounding a solute with solvent is called solvation. It involves evenly distributing the solute within the solvent. The rule of thumb for determining a solvent for a given compound is that like dissolves like. A good solvent has molecular characteristics similar to those of the compound to be dissolved. For example, polar solutions dissolve polar solutes, and apolar solvents dissolve apolar solutes. A polar solvent is a solvent that has a high dielectric constant (ϵ ≥ 15); an...
Solvents01:12

Solvents

A solvent is a substance, most often a liquid, that can dissolve other substances. Here, the substance being dissolved is called a solute. When a solvent and a solute combine, they form a solution - a homogenous mixture of both the solvent and the solute. Water is a universal biological solvent. Its polar structure allows it to dissolve many other polar compounds. The ability of water to dissolve is governed by a balance between water molecules binding to each other and binding to the solute.
A...
Nucleic Acid Structure01:25

Nucleic Acid Structure

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

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Self-Assembly of Gamma-Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids into Complex Nanostructures in Organic Solvent Mixtures
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Self-Assembly of Gamma-Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids into Complex Nanostructures in Organic Solvent Mixtures

Published on: June 26, 2020

Nucleic acid solvation: from outside to insight.

Pascal Auffinger1, Yaser Hashem

  • 1Architecture et réactivité de l'ARN, Université Louis Pasteur de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France. p.auffinger@ibmc.u-strasbg.fr

Current Opinion in Structural Biology
|June 19, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Recent studies reveal nucleic acids interact with water and anions, not just cations. Molecular dynamics simulations highlight these complex interactions, crucial for drug binding and catalysis.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Computational Chemistry

Background:

  • Historically, nucleic acids were viewed as solely interacting with water and cations.
  • Emerging evidence suggests more complex interactions involving water and anions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the nuanced interactions of nucleic acids with water and anions.
  • To highlight the role of molecular dynamics simulations in understanding these interactions.

Main Methods:

  • State-of-the-art molecular dynamics simulations of nucleic acid systems.
  • Analysis of water molecule residency times and anion binding.

Main Results:

  • Water molecules exhibit long residency times within nucleic acid structures.
  • Anions are shown to bind to these polyanionic systems.
  • These interactions are implicated in drug binding and catalytic processes.

Conclusions:

  • Nucleic acid interactions extend beyond simple cation shielding.
  • Water and anions play significant roles in nucleic acid function.
  • Molecular dynamics simulations are vital for elucidating these complex biological systems.