Conformational properties of dinucleoside monophosphates in solution: dipurines and dipyrimidines.

In order to obtain information about the conformational features in a polyribonucleotide at the nearest neighbor level, detailed nuclear magnetic resonance studies of the dinucleoside monophosphates ApA, ApG, GpA, UpU, CpC, UpC, and CpU were undertaken. Proton spectra were recorded at 100, 220, 270, or 300 MHz for D2O solutions, 0.01-0.03 M, pD 7.4 at 20+/-2 degrees C. Spectra of ApA, ApG, UpU, and UpC were also recorded in the temperature range of 70-90 degrees C. Unambiguous signal assignments of all proton resonances were made with the aid of selectively deuterated dimers. Complete, accurate sets of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) parameters were derived for each nucleotidyl unit by simulation-iteration methods. A complete set of chemical shift and coupling constant data was also obtained for all the constituent monomeric units at a concentration and ionization state comparable to that of the dimers. Conformational properties were evaluated quantitatively for most of the bonds in the dinucleoside monophosphates using procedures developed in earlier studies. All of the dimers have a flexible conformational framework in aqueous solution. While flexibility is allowed and alternate conformations are accessible, these molecules nevertheless attempt to achieve conformational identity by showing preferences--sometimes overwhelming preferences--for certain orientations. Thus the ribose rings exist as equilibrium mixtures of C2'-endo in equilibrium C3'-endo conformers with a bias for the C3'-endo pucker in most cases. The C4'-C5' bonds of both nucleotidyl units show significant preference (70-85%) for a gg conformation. Similarly, the dominant conformer (80-90%) about C5'-O5' is g'g'. Even though an unambiguous determination of the orientation about C3'-O3' cannot be made, there is suggestive evidence that the orientation of the 3' phosphate group is coupled to the ribose conformational equilibrium and it is likely that a 3Eg- in equilibrium 2Eg+ equilibrium exists with a bias for the 3Eg- coupled conformation in which the H3'-C3'-O3'-P dihedral angle is about 34-38 degrees. The individual nucleotidyl units in the dimers differ in several key ways from corresponding monomer conformations. Specifically, the ribose equilibrium C2'-endo in equilibrium C3'-endo shifts in favor of C3'-endo upon dimerization, the only exception being UpU. The C4'-C5' and C5'-O5' bonding network in the dimer forms a stable conformational unit and no correlation exists in the dimers between the conformational preference of this fragment and ribose conformer population. The temperature data for the dimers and dimerization data clearly indicate that the transition C2'-endo leads to C3'-endo is directly related to XCN changes brought about by dimerization and stacking...