Two aspects of DNA polymorphism and microheterogeneity: molecular electrostatic potential and steric accessibility.

Polymorphism and microheterogeneity of DNA appear today as being capable of having important biological consequences. This paper presents a synthetic view of two major properties of the main known forms of DNA (A, B, alternating B, C, D and Z), namely their molecular electrostatic potentials and steric accessibilities. Variations in these properties are explained in terms of the conformational changes involved and deductions are drawn concerning their influence on the interactive properties of DNA with external agents.