Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Print PDF (584K)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (29)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Commercial Re-use Guidelines
for Open Access NAR Content
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Tung, C.-S.
Right arrow Articles by Harvey, S. C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Tung, C.-S.
Right arrow Articles by Harvey, S. C.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Nucleic Acids Research, 1984, Vol. 12, No. 7 3343-3356
© 1984

CHEMISTRY

A molecular mechanical model to predict the helix twist angles of B-DNA

Chang-Shung Tung1 and Stephen C. Harvey2,+

1Department of Physics, University of Alabama Birmingham, AL 35294, USA 2Department of Biochemistry, University of Alabama Birmingham, AL 35294, USA

+To whom correspondence should be addressed

Received December 15, 1983. Accepted March 2, 1984.

We present here a model for the prediction of helix twist angles in B-DNA, a model composed of a collection of torsional springs. Statistically averaged conformational energy calculations show that, for a specified base-step, the basepair-basepair conformational energy is quadratically dependent on the helix twist angle, so the calculations provide the spring parameters for the basepair-basepair interactions. Torsional springs can be used to model the effects of the backbone on the helix twist, and the parameters for those springs are derived by fitting the model to experimental data. The model predicts a macroscopic torsional stiffness and a longitudi compressibility (Young's modulus) which are both in good agreement with experiment. One biological consequence of the model is examined, the sequence specificity of the Eco RI restriction endonuclease, and it is shown the discriminatory power of the enzyme receives a substantial contribution from the energetic cost of torsional deformations of the DNA when wrong sequences are forced into the enzyme binding site.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 ScienceHome page
D. A. Heller, E. S. Jeng, T.-K. Yeung, B. M. Martinez, A. E. Moll, J. B. Gastala, and M. S. Strano
Optical Detection of DNA Conformational Polymorphism on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Science, January 27, 2006; 311(5760): 508 - 511.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Biophys. JHome page
T. E. Malliavin, J. Gau, K. Snoussi, and J.-L. Leroy
Stability of the I-motif Structure Is Related to the Interactions between Phosphodiester Backbones
Biophys. J., June 1, 2003; 84(6): 3838 - 3847.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ScienceHome page
C DeLisi
Computers in molecular biology: current applications and emerging trends
Science, April 1, 1988; 240(4848): 47 - 52.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.