title: The B-Z conformational transition in folded oligodeoxynucleotides: loop size and stability of Z-hairpins.
abstract: The capacity to assume a left-handed conformation and the thermodynamics of loop formation in concentrated aqueous NaClO4 have been investigated for the following palindromic sequences: d-(CGCGCGAAAAACGCGCG) (A5), d(CGCGCGTTTTTCGCGCG) (T5), d(CGCGCGTACGCGCG) (TA), and d(CGCGCGATCGCGCG) (AT). The results show that (a) each oligomer assumes a Z conformation upon exposure to increasing NaClO4 concentrations; the salt concentration at the transition midpoint is 1.8 M for both A5 and T5 and 3 and 3.5 M for TA and AT, respectively; (b) in high salt the four oligomers exist, over a wide range of nucleotide concentrations (up to 10(-3) M) and of temperature (greater than 0 degrees C), as unimolecular hairpin structures; (c) hairpins TA and AT exhibit, in buffer A, a lower thermal stability with respect to A5 and T5 (delta T about 16 degrees C), contrary to what is observed at low ionic strength; (d) on hairpin formation, the enthalpic term is about -52 kcal/mol for the two 17-mers and -38 kcal/mol for the two 14-mers, while the change in entropy is found to be around -150 eu for A5 and T5 and -115 eu for TA and AT. This thermodynamic picture suggests that a two-residue loop for TA and AT, found at low ionic strength [see preceding paper (Xodo, L.E., Manzini, G., Quadrifoglio, F., van der Marel, G.A., & van Boom, J.H. (1988) Biochemistry (preceding paper in this issue)], is substituted by a longer one including two additional residues from a missing dC.dG base pairing at the top of the stem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Macromolecular Chemistry, University of Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Xodo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manzini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Quadrifoglio
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: van der Marel
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: van Boom
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D004247:DNA; D004355:Drug Stability; D007700:Kinetics; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D004247:DNA