title: The conformation of the DNA double helix in the crystal is dependent on its environment.
abstract: Studies of the crystal structures of more than 30 synthetic DNA fragments have provided structural information about three basic forms of the double helix: A-, B- and Z-form DNA. These studies have demonstrated that the DNA double helix adopts a highly variable structure which is related to its base sequence. The extent to which such observed structures are influenced by the crystalline environment can be found by studying the same molecule in different crystalline forms. We have recently crystallized one particular oligomer in various crystal forms. Here we report the results of structural analyses of the different crystal structures and demonstrate that the DNA double helix can adopt a range of conformations in the crystalline state depending on hydration, molecular packing and temperature. These results have implications on our understanding of the influence of the environment on DNA structure, and on the modes of DNA recognition by proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Structural Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shakked
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guerstein-Guzikevich
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eisenstein
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frolow
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rabinovich
mesh_terms: D001482:Base Composition; D001483:Base Sequence; D003460:Crystallization; D004247:DNA; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
chemical_list: D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D004247:DNA