The high salt form of poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) is left-handed Z-DNA: Raman spectra of crystals and solutions

Nucleic Acids Res. 1981 Oct 24;9(20):5443-57. doi: 10.1093/nar/9.20.5443.

Abstract

The laser-Raman spectra of crystalline d(CpGpCpGpCpG) and of aqueous poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) in high salt (4M NaCl) and low salt (0.1M NaCl) solutions have been measured and compared. The spectra of the crystal and the high-salt solution show a striking congruence, which indicates clearly that the high-salt form of the aqueous polymer has the left-handed Z-DNA structure of the crystalline oligomer. These two spectra differ substantially from that of the low-salt form of the polymer, which has been found previously to have spectral characteristics of the B-form of DNA. The high salt spectrum shows a unique line due to guanine residues at 625 cm-1 which should be useful for qualitative and possibly quantitative assessment of the amount of Z-structure present in a sample of DNA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization
  • DNA*
  • Lasers
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation*
  • Osmolar Concentration
  • Polydeoxyribonucleotides*
  • Spectrum Analysis, Raman

Substances

  • Polydeoxyribonucleotides
  • poly(dG).poly(dC)
  • DNA