Non-standard and higher-order DNA structures: DNA–DNA recognition

2022 ◽  
pp. 109-190
Author(s):  
Stephen Neidle ◽  
Mark Sanderson
2018 ◽  
Vol 293 (44) ◽  
pp. 17033-17049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisao Masai ◽  
Naoko Kakusho ◽  
Rino Fukatsu ◽  
Yue Ma ◽  
Keisuke Iida ◽  
...  

G-quadruplexes (G4s) are four-stranded DNA structures comprising stacks of four guanines, are prevalent in genomes, and have diverse biological functions in various chromosomal structures. A conserved protein, Rap1-interacting factor 1 (Rif1) from fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe), binds to Rif1-binding sequence (Rif1BS) and regulates DNA replication timing. Rif1BS is characterized by the presence of multiple G-tracts, often on both strands, and their unusual spacing. Although previous studies have suggested generation of G4-like structures on duplex Rif1BS, its precise molecular architecture remains unknown. Using gel-shift DNA binding assays and DNA footprinting with various nuclease probes, we show here that both of the Rif1BS strands adopt specific higher-order structures upon heat denaturation. We observed that the structure generated on the G-strand is consistent with a G4 having unusually long loop segments and that the structure on the complementary C-strand does not have an intercalated motif (i-motif). Instead, we found that the formation of the C-strand structure depends on the G4 formation on the G-strand. Thus, the higher-order structure generated at Rif1BS involved both DNA strands, and in some cases, G4s may form on both of these strands. The presence of multiple G-tracts permitted the formation of alternative structures when some G-tracts were mutated or disrupted by deazaguanine replacement, indicating the robust nature of DNA higher-order structures generated at Rif1BS. Our results provide general insights into DNA structures generated at G4-forming sequences on duplex DNA.


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (32) ◽  
pp. 12040-12049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Hager ◽  
Stephan Mokesch ◽  
Claudia Kieler ◽  
Silvia Alonso-de Castro ◽  
Dina Baier ◽  
...  

Ru(ii) arene complexes with 1,3-dioxoindan-2-carboxamides ligands bearing pendant naphthyl-groups designed to bind G-quadruplex DNA structures by both stacking and coordinating interactions.


2013 ◽  
Vol 49 (82) ◽  
pp. 9488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iolanda Fotticchia ◽  
Concetta Giancola ◽  
Luigi Petraccone

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aafke A. van den Berg ◽  
Martin Depken

During transcription, RNA polymerase competes for space on the DNA with other DNA binding proteins and higher order DNA structures acting as roadblocks. Though it is known that individual polymerases often slow down when forcing roadblocks, the effect of crowding on transcription as a whole is not clear. Based on quantitative theoretical modeling, we show that interactions with roadblocks induce a strong kinetic attraction between polymerases, causing them to self-organize into pelotons. Peloton formation explains observed nucleosome and polymerase density profiles close to the initiation site on highly transcribed genes, and how these densities depend on induction levels. At termination, pelotons translate into transcriptional bursts that dispaly the same characteristics as those observedin vivo. Our model thus unifies common spatial and temporal transcription patterns as arising from a non-specific interaction between roadblocks and polymerases. The generality of our model suggests that peloton formation might be ubiquitous in systems where molecular motors interact with dynamic roadblocks.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. e0165788 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Bergquist ◽  
Cristina S. J. Rocha ◽  
Rubén Álvarez-Asencio ◽  
Chi-Hung Nguyen ◽  
Mark. W. Rutland ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Povinelli ◽  
Gabrielle C. Glorioso ◽  
Shannon L. Kuznar ◽  
Mateja Pavlic

Abstract Hoerl and McCormack demonstrate that although animals possess a sophisticated temporal updating system, there is no evidence that they also possess a temporal reasoning system. This important case study is directly related to the broader claim that although animals are manifestly capable of first-order (perceptually-based) relational reasoning, they lack the capacity for higher-order, role-based relational reasoning. We argue this distinction applies to all domains of cognition.


Author(s):  
George C. Ruben ◽  
Kenneth A. Marx

In vitro collapse of DNA by trivalent cations like spermidine produces torus (donut) shaped DNA structures thought to have a DNA organization similar to certain double stranded DNA bacteriophage and viruses. This has prompted our studies of these structures using freeze-etch low Pt-C metal (9Å) replica TEM. With a variety of DNAs the TEM and biochemical data support a circumferential DNA winding model for hydrated DNA torus organization. Since toruses are almost invariably oriented nearly horizontal to the ice surface one of the most accessible parameters of a torus population is annulus (ring) thickness. We have tabulated this parameter for populations of both nicked, circular (Fig. 1: n=63) and linear (n=40: data not shown) ϕX-174 DNA toruses. In both cases, as can be noted in Fig. 1, there appears to be a compact grouping of toruses possessing smaller dimensions separated from a dispersed population possessing considerably larger dimensions.


Author(s):  
G.F. Bastin ◽  
H.J.M. Heijligers

Among the ultra-light elements B, C, N, and O nitrogen is the most difficult element to deal with in the electron probe microanalyzer. This is mainly caused by the severe absorption that N-Kα radiation suffers in carbon which is abundantly present in the detection system (lead-stearate crystal, carbonaceous counter window). As a result the peak-to-background ratios for N-Kα measured with a conventional lead-stearate crystal can attain values well below unity in many binary nitrides . An additional complication can be caused by the presence of interfering higher-order reflections from the metal partner in the nitride specimen; notorious examples are elements such as Zr and Nb. In nitrides containing these elements is is virtually impossible to carry out an accurate background subtraction which becomes increasingly important with lower and lower peak-to-background ratios. The use of a synthetic multilayer crystal such as W/Si (2d-spacing 59.8 Å) can bring significant improvements in terms of both higher peak count rates as well as a strong suppression of higher-order reflections.


Author(s):  
H. S. Kim ◽  
S. S. Sheinin

The importance of image simulation in interpreting experimental lattice images is well established. Normally, in carrying out the required theoretical calculations, only zero order Laue zone reflections are taken into account. In this paper we assess the conditions for which this procedure is valid and indicate circumstances in which higher order Laue zone reflections may be important. Our work is based on an analysis of the requirements for obtaining structure images i.e. images directly related to the projected potential. In the considerations to follow, the Bloch wave formulation of the dynamical theory has been used.The intensity in a lattice image can be obtained from the total wave function at the image plane is given by: where ϕg(z) is the diffracted beam amplitide given by In these equations,the z direction is perpendicular to the entrance surface, g is a reciprocal lattice vector, the Cg(i) are Fourier coefficients in the expression for a Bloch wave, b(i), X(i) is the Bloch wave excitation coefficient, ϒ(i)=k(i)-K, k(i) is a Bloch wave vector, K is the electron wave vector after correction for the mean inner potential of the crystal, T(q) and D(q) are the transfer function and damping function respectively, q is a scattering vector and the summation is over i=l,N where N is the number of beams taken into account.


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