The crystallographic study of left-handed Z-DNA d(CGCGCG) 2 and thermine complexes crystallized at various temperatures and at various concentration of cations

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 368; no. 2; pp. 382 - 387
• Main Authors: Ohishi, Hirofumi, Odoko, Mamiko, Zhou, Da-Yang, Tozuka, Yoshitaka, Okabe, Nobuo, Nakatani, Kazuhiko, Ishida, Toshimasa, Grzeskowiak, Kazmierz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 04.04.2008
• Subjects: B–Z transition; Cations; Computer Simulation; Crystallography - methods; DNA, Z-Form - chemistry; DNA, Z-Form - ultrastructure; Macromolecular Substances - chemistry; Models, Chemical; Models, Molecular; Nucleic Acid Conformation; Polyamine; Polyamines - chemistry; Static Electricity; Stereoisomerism; Temperature; Thermine; X-ray crystallography; Z-DNA; X-ray crystallography; PA; B–Z transition; Thermine; Polyamine; Z-DNA
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.01.092

In crystals of complexes of thermine and d(CGCGCG) 2 molecules grown at 4, 10, and 20 °C, the numbers of thermine molecules connected to the DNA molecule were dependent on the temperature of the crystallization. Two molecules of thermine and one Mg 2+ ion were connected to DNA molecule when thermine and d(CGCGCG) 2 were co-crystallized at 4 and at 20 °C. When an increased concentration of magnesium and thermine molecules were co-crystallized with d(CGCGCG) 2 molecules at 10 °C, three Mg 2+ ions and only one thermine molecule were bound with a d(CGCGCG) 2 molecule. The number of polyamines and of Mg 2+ ions connected to DNA was dependent on the atomic values of the polyamine and of the metal ion. The binding of more Mg 2+ ions occurred when the atomic value of Mg 2+ exceeded that of the corresponding mono- or polyamine, and when the Mg 2+ ion concentration was elevated. Furthermore, this study is the first documentation of a naturally occurring polyamine bound to the minor groove of DNA in a crystal structure.