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Structure of a stereoregular phosphorothioate DNA/RNA duplex

Nature Structural Biology volume 5, pages 271–276 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

In this work, we present the first NMR solution structure of a DNA/RNA hybrid containing stereoregular RP-phosphorothioate modifications of all DNA backbone linkages. The complex of the enzymatically synthesized phosphorothioate DNA octamer (all-RP)-d(GCGTCAGG) and its complementary RNA r(CCUGACGC) was found to adopt an overall conformation within the A-form family. Most helical parameters and the sugar puckers of the DNA strand assume values intermediate between A- and B-form. The close structural similarity with the unmodified DNA/RNA hybrid of the same sequence may explain why both the natural and the sulfur-substituted complex can be recognized and digested by ribonuclease H.

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Author notes

  1. G. Kurz

    Present address: Laboratoire de Chimie Supramoléculaire, Université Louis Pasteur, 4 rue Blaise Pascal, 67000, Strasbourg, France

  2. M. Bachelin, G. Hessler and G. Kurz: These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, TU München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, D-85747, Garching, Germany

    M. Bachelin, G. Hessler, G. Kurz & H. Kessler

  2. Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and The Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, USA

    J. G. Hacia & P. B. Dervan

Authors
  1. M. Bachelin
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  2. G. Hessler
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  3. G. Kurz
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  4. J. G. Hacia
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  5. P. B. Dervan
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  6. H. Kessler
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. Kessler.

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Bachelin, M., Hessler, G., Kurz, G. et al. Structure of a stereoregular phosphorothioate DNA/RNA duplex. Nat Struct Mol Biol 5, 271–276 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/nsb0498-271

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