Nucleic Acids Research, 1978, Vol. 5, No. 5 1655-1673
© 1978
Articles |
Theoretical calculations of base-base interactions in nucleic acids: II Stacking interactions in polynucleotides
Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science Bangalore-560 012, India
Received March 1, 1978. Base-base interactions were computed for single- and double- stranded polynucleotides, for all possible base sequences. In each case, both right and left stacking arrangements are energetically possible. The preference of one over the other depends upon the base-sequence and the orientation of the bases with respect to helix-axis. Inverted stacking arrangement is also energetically possible for both single- and double-stranded polynucleotides. Finally, interaction energies of a regular duplex and the alternative structures3 were compared. It was found that the type II model3 is energetically more favourable than the rest.