[Investigation of the structure of magnesium and lithium salts of T2 phage DNA by the method of x-ray diffraction. The possible mechanisms of the participation of cations in the structural transformation of double-stranded DNA].

The secondary structure of DNA is known to be largely determined by the kind of counterion bound to it. We have used the X-ray diffraction method to study the structure of magnesium and lithium salts of T2 phage DNA in oriented fibres. The structural behaviour of this glucosylated DNA in the form of magnesium and lithium salts was shown to be identical to the behaviour of the same salts of "normal" calf thymus DNA throughout the studied range of relative humidities (44-95%). However these two DNAs in the form of sodium salt are known to behave quite differently. One can presume that Mg2+ and Li+ influence the structural behaviour of double-stranded DNA so effectively as to be able to "ignore" the fact that T2 phage DNA contains glucoside residues. The results of this work and the already known facts concerning the structure of DNA in the form of various cation salts (in solution and in "solid" fibres) indicate that the structural behaviour of double-stranded DNA is mainly determined by the cation located in the region of the narrow groove of the double helix. If cations are graded according to the efficiency of their influence on the structural behaviour of DNA in fibres, the scale will coincide with that of their DNA-binding strength in water solution, that is: Mg2+ greater than Li+ greater than Na+ greater than K+ greater than Rb+. A qualitative consideration of electrostatic interaction between the cations and the negatively charged DNA strands leads one to suppose that this interaction must obstruct the transition of individual DNA molecules from the B-form to the A-form. Aggregation of self-aggregation of DNA molecules is presumed necessary to enable them to adopt the A-conformation.