title: Importance of minor groove functional groups for the stability of DNA duplexes.
abstract: Eight oligonucleotide duplexes have been prepared with four pairs of selected complementary pairs of native/analogue heterocyclic bases incorporated at a selected test site. The base pairs vary in the nature of their functionality in the minor groove. Each pair has a minor groove purine amino group present or absent, and correspondingly has a minor grove pyrimidine carbonyl present or absent. Loss of duplex stability is most notable when the minor groove pyrimidine carbonyl is absent although in other respects normal Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding is maintained in these sequences. These differences in stability are discussed in terms of possible variations in minor groove hydration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Boston College, 2609 Beacon St., Chestnut Hill, MA 20467, USA.
authors.forename: Zhenhua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Dongli
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Larry W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
mesh_terms: D020029:Base Pairing; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009841:Oligonucleotides; D014867:Water; D004247:DNA