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Related Concept Videos

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.
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DNA has a double-helix structure. The...
Nucleic Acids02:43

Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acids are the most important macromolecules for the continuity of life. They carry the cell's genetic blueprint and carry instructions for its functioning.
DNA and RNA
The two main types of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the genetic material in all living organisms, ranging from single-celled bacteria to multicellular mammals. It is in the nucleus of eukaryotes and in the organelles, chloroplasts, and mitochondria. In prokaryotes, the...
Nucleic acids02:43

Nucleic acids

Nucleic acids are the most important macromolecules for the continuity of life. They carry the cell's genetic blueprint and carry instructions for its functioning.
DNA and RNA
The two main types of nucleic acids are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the genetic material in all living organisms, ranging from single-celled bacteria to multicellular mammals. It is in the nucleus of eukaryotes and in the organelles, chloroplasts, and mitochondria. In prokaryotes, the...
Phosphodiester Linkages01:01

Phosphodiester Linkages

Overview
Phosphodiester bond forms when a phosphoric acid molecule (H3PO4) links with two hydroxyl groups (–OH) of two other molecules, forming two ester bonds. Two water molecules are released in this process. The phosphodiester bond is commonly found in nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and plays a critical role in their structure and function.
Phosphodiester Bonds Link Nucleotides Together
DNA and RNA are polynucleotides or long chains of nucleotides that are linked together. A nucleotide is...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...

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DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
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End-joining long nucleic acid polymers.

M van den Hout1, S Hage, C Dekker

  • 1Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands.

Nucleic Acids Research
|July 29, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study presents a novel biotin-streptavidin method for efficiently joining nucleic acids. The two-step procedure overcomes low ligation efficiency with single-stranded molecules and long nucleic acids.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Nucleic acid hybridization and ligation are crucial for creating compound molecules.
  • Ligation efficiency decreases with single-stranded nucleic acids and molecules exceeding 10 kb.
  • Current methods often require extensive optimization and specific complementary overhangs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a simple and efficient method for end-joining two different nucleic acids.
  • To overcome limitations of existing ligation techniques, particularly for single-stranded and long nucleic acids.
  • To enable versatile applications in bionanotechnology and single-molecule experiments.

Main Methods:

  • A two-step procedure utilizing the biotin-streptavidin linkage.
  • Step 1: Binding one nucleic acid molecule to streptavidin (STV).
  • Step 2: Adding the second molecule after removing unbound STV to favor heterodimer formation.

Main Results:

  • Achieved efficient and specific end-joining of nucleic acids with 50 +/- 25% efficiency.
  • Demonstrated insensitivity to molecule length, up to at least 20 kb.
  • Successfully joined DNA to single-stranded and double-stranded RNA, and two double-stranded RNA molecules, without requiring specific overhangs.

Conclusions:

  • The developed method provides a robust approach for nucleic acid end-joining.
  • It significantly improves ligation efficiency for challenging substrates like single-stranded and long nucleic acids.
  • This technique offers broad applicability in molecular biology, bionanotechnology, and single-molecule studies.