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. 1994 Jul 25;22(14):2752–2759. doi: 10.1093/nar/22.14.2752

Formation of sheared G:A base pairs in an RNA duplex modelled after ribozymes, as revealed by NMR.

M Katahira 1, M Kanagawa 1, H Sato 1, S Uesugi 1, S Fujii 1, T Kohno 1, T Maeda 1
PMCID: PMC308244  PMID: 7519767

Abstract

The thermal stability and structure of an RNA duplex, r(GGACGAGUCC)2, the base sequence of which was modelled after both a hammerhead ribozyme and a lead ribozyme, were studied by CD and NMR. We previously demonstrated that the corresponding DNA duplex, d(GGACGAGTCC)2, formed unique 'sheared' G:A base pairs, where an amino proton, instead of an imino proton, of G is involved in the hydrogen bonding, and G and A bases are arranged 'side by side' instead of 'head to head' (Nucleic Acids Res. (1993) 21, 5418-5424). CD melting profiles showed that the RNA duplex is thermally more stable than the corresponding DNA duplex. NMR studies revealed that sheared G:A base pairs are formed in the RNA duplex, too, although the overall structure of the RNA is the A form, which differs from the B form taken on by the corresponding DNA. A model building study confirmed that sheared G:A base pairs can be accommodated in the double helical structure of the A form. A difference between the RNA and DNA duplexes in the stacking interaction involving G:A mismatch bases is also suggested. The demonstration that sheared G:A base pairs can be formed not only in DNA but also in RNA suggests that this base pairing plays an important role regarding the RNA structure.

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Selected References

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