title: Self-fitting and self-modifying properties of the B-DNA molecule.
abstract: X-ray structure analysis of oligonucleotides shows that self-fitting of B-DNA molecules by groove-backbone interaction can trigger modification of the secondary structure of the double helix in a sequence-dependent manner, leading to a "pre-melted" transition state. This work reveals that some sequences respond to the DNA-DNA intermolecular interactions by forming rearranged H-bonding schemes which stabilize the transition states. This study suggests that the close and specific approach of DNA segments occurring in genome packaging, DNA looping, synapsis formation or supercoiling can contribute directly to the secondary structure changes needed for DNA processing.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire CNRS/INSERM/ULP/BP 163, Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Timsit
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moras
mesh_terms: D001482:Base Composition; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D003196:Computer Graphics; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011089:Polydeoxyribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D011089:Polydeoxyribonucleotides; D004247:DNA