Conformational DNA transition in the in vitro torsionally strained chicken beta-globin 5' region.

A sequence of 86 bp within the 5' region of the adult chicken beta-globin gene was found to undergo a DNA conformational transition at elevated levels of negative superhelical stress (- sigma = 0.068). In vitro chemical DNA modification studies which detect purine hyperreactivity (HR) to the alkylating agent diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEP) have identified this 86 bp long DEP-HR element. The DEP-HR element is composed of small, tandem segments with imperfect purine-pyrimidine alternations. Methylation of cytosines within GCGC sequences of the DEP-HR element facilitates this structural change. The binding of a monoclonal anti-Z-DNA antibody to the element has been revealed by chemical footprinting with DEP. These data suggest that the DEP-HR sequence can undergo a conformational transition to Z-DNA. It is unknown whether the conformational flexibility observed here occurs in vivo.