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UV Resonance Raman Spectroscopic Marker Bands of Base Pair Formation During Nucleic Acids Assembly
Aina-Sophie Schüen1, Annika S Bumberger1, Benedikt Bädorf2
1Clausius Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Bonn, Wegelerstrasse 12, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|September 30, 2025
Summary
UV resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy provides label-free insights into nucleic acid (NA) structure and H-bonding. This method tracks oligonucleotide assembly and hybridization, revealing details of DNA and RNA architectures.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Spectroscopy
- Biophysics
Background:
- Nucleic acid (NA) structure and function depend on controlled molecular assembly.
- Understanding NA interactions, particularly hydrogen bonding, is crucial for molecular biology.
- Label-free spectroscopic methods are needed to study NA assembly dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate UV resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy as a tool for studying NA structural assembly.
- To identify specific UVRR spectral markers for hydrogen bonding in DNA and RNA base pairs.
- To monitor the thermal hybridization of oligonucleotide strands into double helices.
Main Methods:
- Utilized UV resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy for label-free analysis.
- Employed experimental H/D exchange and hybrid DFT-based computational methods.
- Analyzed peak shifts and intensity changes in UVRR spectra during thermal hybridization.
Main Results:
- Identified UVRR marker bands associated with hydrogen bonding in guanine-cytosine (G-C) and adenine-thymidine (A-T) base pairs.
- Observed spectral changes consistent with computational data during oligonucleotide assembly.
- Successfully monitored conformational changes during thermal hybridization using UVRR.
Conclusions:
- UVRR spectroscopy is a powerful, chemically selective tool for investigating NA structural assembly and interactions.
- Specific UVRR bands provide insights into hydrogen bonding crucial for NA structure.
- The method allows for the characterization of thermal transitions in complex DNA and RNA architectures.
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