Helix-specific interactions induce condensation of guanosine four-stranded helices in concentrated salt solutions

Biophysical Journal
P MarianiL Saturni

Abstract

Deoxyguanosine-5'-monophosphate in water self-associates into stable structures, which include liquid-crystalline hexagonal and cholesteric phases. The structural unit is a four-stranded helix, composed of stacked Hoogsteen-bonded guanosine quartets. By using the osmotic stress method, we recently measured the force between helices in KCl solutions up to 2 M. In addition to the long-range electrostatic force, a short-range hydration repulsive contribution was recognized. The hydration repulsion is exponential, and shows a decay length independent from the ionic strength of the solution. Here, we report that more concentrated KCl solutions cause condensation of the guanosine helix in a hexagonal phase with constant equilibrium separation of approximately 7 A between helix surfaces. Long-range attraction, which induces the self-assembly, and short-range repulsion, which prevents the contact between the helices, are implied. By using osmotic stress, the force needed to push helices closer from the spontaneously assumed position has been measured. The attractive force was then estimated as a difference between the net force and the repulsive contribution, revealing an exponential decay length about two times larger than that of the...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jul 17, 1998·Current Opinion in Structural Biology·H H StreyV A Parsegian
Jan 10, 2001·Journal of Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics·W V MeisterS Hoffmann
Oct 28, 1998·Biophysical Journal·A A Kornyshev, S Leikin
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Jan 21, 2016·Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry·Jyotirmayee Dash, Puja Saha
Apr 4, 2018·Soft Matter·Federica CarducciPaolo Mariani
Nov 23, 2000·Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics·A A Kornyshev, S Leikin
Jul 31, 2007·Electrophoresis·William S CaseLinda B McGown
Aug 11, 2018·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Rudolf Podgornik
May 1, 2001·Physical Review Letters·A A Kornyshev, S Leikin
Feb 14, 2021·Materials Science & Engineering. C, Materials for Biological Applications·Juliana S YonedaRosangela Itri
Apr 14, 2010·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Zheng LiStuart J Rowan
Apr 16, 2009·The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B·Heung-Shik ParkOleg D Lavrentovich
Jul 31, 2004·Analytical Chemistry·Victoria A DowlingLinda B McGown
Jan 10, 2008·The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B·Yuehua YuLinda B McGown

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