Abstract
THEORIES of the molecular structure of nucleic acids have so far been based on evidence from the crystal structures of monomeric units such as nucleosides and mononucleotides, the interpretation of diffraction patterns of oriented nucleic acid fibres and molecular model building1–6. Such approaches can help to suggest structures of periodic molecules such as helices, but they are insufficient for predicting and understanding nonrepetitive structures such as the loops in transfer RNA (tRNA), presumably associated with many of the functions of tRNA. To understand the geometry of nucleic acids and possible constraints on their conformation, it is therefore essential to know the detailed conformation of the sugar residues and the conformational relationship between the sugar residue, the base and the phosphate group7–9. The simplest molecule which contains this information is a 3´5´-dinucleoside phosphate. We now report the structure of uridine-3´,5´-adenosine phosphate (UpA). This is the first naturally occurring dinucleoside phosphate whose crystal structure has been determined by X-ray diffraction. The only other dinucleoside phosphate with known crystal structure is adenosine-2´,5´-uridine phosphate10, but it does not have the naturally occurring 3´5´ sugar phosphate linkage.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
We are sorry, but there is no personal subscription option available for your country.
Rent or buy this article
Prices vary by article type
from$1.95
to$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Watson, J. D., and Crick, F. H. C., Nature, 171, 737 (1953).
Langridge, R., Marvin, D. A., Seeds, W. E., Wilson, H. R., Wilkins, M. H. F., and Hamilton, L. D., J. Mol. Biol., 2, 38 (1960).
Marvin, D. A., Spencer, M., Wilkins, M. H. F., and Hamilton, L. D., J. Mol. Biol., 3, 547 (1961).
Fuller, W., Wilkins, M. H. F., Wilson, H. R., and Hamiltion, L. D., J. Mol. Biol., 12, 60 (1965).
Arnott, S., Dover, S. D., and Wonacott, A. J., Acta Cryst., B25, 2192 (1969).
Rich, A., Davies, D. R., Crick, F. H. C., and Watson, J. D., J. Mol. Biol., 3, 71 (1961).
Haschemeyer, A. E. V., and Rich, A., J. Mol. Biol., 27, 369 (1967).
Sundaralingam, M., Biopolymers, 7, 821 (1969).
Arnott, S., Prog. Biophys. Mol. Biol., 21, 265 (1970).
Shefter, E., Barlow, M., Sparks, R. A., and Trueblood, K. N., Acta Cryst., B25, 895 (1969).
Donohue, J., and Trueblood, K. N., J. Mol. Biol., 2, 363 (1960).
Hoogsteen, K., Acta Cryst., 16, 907 (1963).
Sutor, D. J., J. Chem. Soc., 1105 (1963).
Schweizer, M. P., Chan, S. I., Helmkamp, G. K., and T'so, P. O. P., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 86, 696 (1964).
T'so, P. O. P., Kondo, N. S., Schweitzer, M. P., and Hollis, D. P., Biochemistry, 8, 997 (1969).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
SEEMAN, N., SUSSMAN, J., BERMAN, H. et al. Nucleic Acid Conformation: Crystal Structure of a Naturally Occurring Dinucleoside Phosphate (UpA). Nature New Biology 233, 90–92 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio233090a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio233090a0
This article is cited by
-
Evolution of the 3′, 5′ internucleotide bond (reply)
Nature (1979)
-
Why do nucleic acids have 3′5′ phosphodiester bonds?
Nature (1978)
-
‘Sandwiched’ water molecule between pyrimidine bases and intra-molecular C–H…O hydrogen bonding in 5-nitro-l-(β-D-ribosyluronic acid)-uracil monohydrate
Nature (1976)
-
π Turn is a conformational pattern in RNA loops and bends
Nature (1976)
-
Is mRNA transcribed from the strand complementary to it in a DNA duplex?
Nature (1975)