Base pair analogs in the gas phase.
A rotationally resolved electronic spectrum of the gas-phase dimer 2-aminopyridine.2-pyridone, an analog of the adenine.thymine base pair, has been observed and assigned, leading to precise measurements of its moments of inertia and preliminary determinations of its structure. A Watson-Crick configuration results, with N...H-N and N-H...O hydrogen bond lengths of 2.898 and 2.810 A, respectively. The two bases are found not to be coplanar; a dihedral angle of 6.1 degrees between the base planes is also estimated from the measured moments of inertia. Possible chemical and biological implications of these results are discussed.
Roscioli
Joseph R
JR
Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
Pratt
David W
DW
D000631:Aminopyridines / Q000737:chemistry; D020029:Base Pairing; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D005740:Gases; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011728:Pyridones / Q000737:chemistry; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
D000631:Aminopyridines; D005740:Gases; D011728:Pyridones; C017679:2-hydroxypyridine; D004247:DNA; C032439:alpha-aminopyridine