A DNA pentaplex incorporating nucleobase quintets.
Supramolecular self-assembly is an integral step in the formation of many biological structures. Here we report a DNA pentaplex that derives from a metal-assisted, hydrogen bond-mediated self-assembly process. In particular, cesium ions are found to induce pentameric assembly of DNA bearing the nonstandard nucleobase iso-guanine. The pentaplex was designed by using a simple algorithm to predict nucleobase structural requirements within a quintet motif. The design principles are general and should extend to complexes beyond pentaplex. Structures exhibiting molecularities of five or more were previously accessible to peptides, but not nucleic acids.
Chaput
J C
JC
Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
Switzer
C
C
D002412:Cations / Q000378:metabolism; D002586:Cesium / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
D002412:Cations; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D002586:Cesium; D004247:DNA; D011188:Potassium