title: Chemical reagents for investigating the major groove of DNA.
abstract: Chemical modification provides an inexpensive and rapid method for characterizing the structure of DNA and its association with drugs and proteins. Numerous conformation-specific probes are available, but most investigations rely on only the most common and readily available of these. The major groove of DNA is typically characterized by reaction with dimethyl sulfate, diethyl pyrocarbonate, potassium permanganate, osmium tetroxide, and, quite recently, bromide with monoperoxysulfate. This commentary discusses the specificity of these reagents and their applications in protection, interference, and missing contact experiments.
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Rokita
mesh_terms: D020029:Base Pairing; D001483:Base Sequence; D001671:Biochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000378:metabolism; D054856:G-Quadruplexes; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010880:Piperidines; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010880:Piperidines; D011506:Proteins; C032727:piperidine; D004247:DNA