Unraveling the binding characteristics of small ligands to telomeric DNA by pressure modulation.

摘要: Recently, non-canonical DNA structures, such as G-quadruplexes (GQs), were found to be highly pressure sensitive, suggesting that modulation studies can provide additional mechanistic details of biomolecular systems. Using FRET and CD spectroscopy well binding equilibrium measurements, we investigated the effect on reaction ligand ThT quadruplex 22AG in solutions containing different ionic species a crowding agent mimicking intracellular milieu. Pressure helped us identify conformational substates adopted by at solution conditions determine volumetric changes during complex formation transitions involved. The magnitudes volumes are hallmark packing defects hydrational upon binding. GQ strength stoichiometry depend strongly pressure. High hydrostatic also impact GQs inside living cells thus affect expression genetic information deep sea organisms. We show sub-kbar pressures do not only dynamics structures GQs, but their reactions.