Duplex Pinching: A Structural Switch Suitable for Contractive DNA Nanoconstructions

摘要

A versatile role for guanine-guanine mismatches within DNA double helices such as the formation of specific, interhelical synaptic events has previously been reported. Here, we demonstrate that certain categories of guanine-guanine mismatches within double helices enable a different structural/conformational transition-a reversible, intramolecular "pinching" of the duplex, initiated and reversed by the binding and dissociation of certain specific cations. Such a "pinching" transition should provide a valuable "contractive" feature to the design of new, DNA-based molecular motors and nanoconstructions.