Abstract
RECENT investigations have revealed that template DNA is found natively in the form, of single-stranded loops during the active transcription of selected portions of the genome in higher organisms1,2. Conversely, during repression of such transcription the DNA is found natively in the form of double-stranded helices1,2. A variety of organic molecules which function in vivo as inhibitors or stimulators of RNA synthesis within pre-selected portions of the genome2 have been shown to be capable of a reversible physical binding to DNA in vivo or in vitro. Each of these inhibitors or stimulators binds preferentially to either single-stranded or to double-stranded DNA. In every case for which adequate data are available (Table 1), a strong correlation exists between the form of DNA preferred for binding and the effect of the ligand on RNA synthesis within pre-selected portions of the genome. These strong correlations suggest that such ligands may exert their characteristic effects on RNA synthesis by preferentially stabilizing either the inactive helical form or the active loop form of DNA2,10 in the equilibrium:
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FRENSTER, J. Correlation of the Binding to DNA Loops or to DNA Helices with the Effect on RNA Synthesis. Nature 208, 1093 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/2081093a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2081093a0
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