Hermann P, Fredericq E
Nucleic Acids Res. 1977 Aug;4(8):2939-47. doi: 10.1093/nar/4.8.2939.
It has been determined previously that the protonation of the GC pairs induces a DNA conformation change which leads to a "metastable" structure. The role of the AT pairs, however, is no well known because the protonation does not modify their spectral properties. By means of an indirect method based on the binding of proflavine, it has been determined that the AT pairs are protonated before the acid-induced denaturation and that they seem to be unable to assume a conformation change when protonated. These results would indicate that the protonated AT pairs may be responsible for the induction of the acid denaturation and not the GC pairs as it was thought previously.
先前已经确定,GC碱基对的质子化会诱导DNA构象变化,从而导致“亚稳态”结构。然而,AT碱基对的作用尚不清楚,因为质子化不会改变它们的光谱特性。通过基于原黄素结合的间接方法,已确定AT碱基对在酸诱导变性之前就已质子化,并且质子化时它们似乎无法发生构象变化。这些结果表明,质子化的AT碱基对可能是酸变性诱导的原因,而不是如先前认为的GC碱基对。