The poly dA strand of poly dA.poly dT adopts an A-form in solution: a UV resonance Raman study

The study by resonance Raman spectroscopy with a 257 nm excitation wave-length of adenine in two single-stranded polynucleotides, poly rA and poly dA, and in three double-stranded polynucleotides, poly dA.poly dT, poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT) and poly rA.poly rU, allows one to characterize the A-genus conformation of polynucleotides containing adenine and thymine bases. The characteristic spectrum of the A-form of the adenine strand is observed, except small differences, for poly rA, poly rA.poly rU and poly dA.poly dT. Our results prove that it is the adenine strand which adopts the A-family conformation in poly dA.poly dT.