Abstract
The DNA polymer d(GC)n·d(GC)n can undergo a transition from the usual right-handed 10.4 base pairs (bp) per turn B form to a novel left-handed 12 bp per turn Z form in response to altered environmental conditions1–4. Several other alternating purine-pyrimidine DNA polymers with modified bases have been shown to undergo transitions from B to Z conformations, with varying degrees of difficulty5–9. We report here that the unmodified DNA polymer d(TG)n·d(CA)n readily undergoes a transition to a Z conformation when subjected to unwinding torsional stress in ionic conditions that are close to physiological. By using a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis system, we have determined both the critical free energy of supercoiling that is required to initiate the transition and the free energy of super-coiling that is required to maintain this polymer in the Z form.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Pohl, F. M. & Jovin, T. M. J. molec. Biol. 57, 375–396 (1972).
Arnott, S., Chandresekaran, R., Birdsall, D. L., Leslie, A. G. W. & Ratliff, R. L. Nature 283, 743–745 (1980).
Wang, A. H. J. et al. Nature 282, 680–686 (1979).
Behe, M. & Felsenseld, G. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 1619–1623 (1981).
Mitsui, Y. et al. Nature 228, 1166–1169 (1970).
Saenger, W., Londmann, H. & Lazius, A. G. Jerusalem Symp. quant. Chem. Biochem. 5, 457–467 (1973).
Santella, R. M., Grunberger, D., Weinstein, I. B. & Rich, A. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 1451–1455 (1981).
Nordheim, A. et al. Nature 294, 417–422 (1981).
Wells, R. D. et al. J. biol. Chem. 257, 10166–10171 (1982).
Maxam, A. M. & Gilbert, W. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 556–564 (1977).
Pulleyblank, D. E. FEBS Lett. 139, 276–278 (1982).
Ellison, M. J. & Pulleyblank, D. E. Can. J. Biochem. 60, 651–658 (1982).
Shure, M., Pulleyblank, D. E. & Vinograd, J. Nucleic Acids Res. 4, 1183–1205 (1977).
Hearst, J. & Stockmayer, W. H. J. chem. Phys. 37, 1425–1433 (1962).
Wang, J. C. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 200–203 (1979).
Pulleyblank, D. E., Shure, M., Tang, D., Vinograd, J. & Vinograd, H-P. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72, 4280–4284 (1975).
Depew, R. E. & Wang, J. C. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72, 4275–4279 (1975).
Nordheim, A. et al. Cell 31, 309–318 (1982).
Campbell, A. M. Biochem. J. 155, 101–105 (1976).
Peck, L. J., Nordheim, A., Rich, A. & Wang, J. C. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 4560–4564 (1982).
Singleton, C. K., Klysik, J., Stirdivant, S. M. & Wells, R. D. Nature 299, 312–316 (1982).
Klysik, J., Stirdivant, S. M., Larson, J. E., Hart, P. A. & Wells, R. D. Nature 290, 672–676 (1981).
Bauer, W. R. A. Rev. Biophys. Bioengng 7, 287–313 (1978).
Nishioka, Y. & Leder, P. J. biol. Chem. 255, 3691–3694 (1980).
Nishioka, Y. & Leder, P. Cell 18, 875–882 (1979).
Stuart, K., Davis, M., Sinn, E., Patten, P. & Hood, L. Cell 27, 573–581 (1981).
Hamada, H., Petrino, M. G. & Kakunaga, T. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 5901–5905 (1982).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Haniford, D., Pulleyblank, D. Facile transition of poly[d(TG)·d(CA)] into a left-handed helix in physiological conditions. Nature 302, 632–634 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/302632a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/302632a0
This article is cited by
-
Dynamic regulation of Z-DNA in the mouse prefrontal cortex by the RNA-editing enzyme Adar1 is required for fear extinction
Nature Neuroscience (2020)
-
The association between microsatellite polymorphisms in intron II of the human Toll-like receptor 2 gene and tuberculosis among Koreans
Genes & Immunity (2006)
-
Z-DNA: the long road to biological function
Nature Reviews Genetics (2003)
-
Characterization of S1 nuclease sensitive site at transcription initiation region ofAttacus ricini rDNA
Science in China Series C: Life Sciences (1997)
-
DNA fingerprinting to detect genetic variation in rice using hypervariable DNA sequences
Theoretical and Applied Genetics (1995)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
