A DNA aptamer which binds to and inhibits thrombin exhibits a new structural motif for DNA.
The investigation of the three-dimensional structure of the DNA aptamer d(G1G2T3-T4G5G6T7G8T9G10G11T12T13G14G15) which binds to and inhibits thrombin has been carried out by NMR methods. This DNA exhibits a number of long-range NOEs between residues which are not adjacent in sequence, which allowed the determination of the novel tertiary structure adopted. This DNA adopts a highly compact, highly symmetrical structure which consists of two tetrads of guanosine base pairs and three loops. The residues of the tetrads alternate anti-syn-anti-syn. This novel structural motif for DNA may also be relevant to the structure of telomere DNA.
Wang
K Y
KY
Chemistry Department, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut 06459.
McCurdy
S
S
Shea
R G
RG
Swaminathan
S
S
Bolton
P H
PH
D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011485:Protein Binding; D013917:Thrombin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D004247:DNA; D013917:Thrombin