6-烷基鸟嘌呤与DNA碱基间氢键作用的理论研究

用密度泛函B3LYP方法在6-311＋G**基组水平上对鸟嘌呤及顺(cis-)、反式(anti-)-6-烷基鸟嘌呤(O⁶-AlkylG)与DNA碱基(胸腺嘧啶T、胞嘧啶C、腺嘌呤A、鸟嘌呤G)的氢键二聚体结构进行了优化. 在MP2/cc-pVXZ(X＝D,T)// B3LYP/6-311＋G**水平上, 采用完全基组外推方法校正了氢键二聚体的相互作用能, 并用完全均衡校正法(CP)校正了基组重叠误差(BSSE). 在B3LYP/6-311＋G**水平上计算了各氢键碱基对的全电子波函数, 并用分子中的原子理论(AIM)分析了碱基间的弱相互作用. 计算结果显示, 鸟嘌呤6-O烷基化改变了碱基间的氢键作用模式, 使碱基对发生了明显的螺旋桨式扭转和不同程度的位移, 碱基间的电子密度分布和氢键作用能明显减小. O⁶-AlkylG对DNA碱基间的氢键作用是去稳定化的, 去稳定化影响的顺序为GC＞GG＞GA≈GT. 计算结果与文献给出的实验结论基本一致.     

O6-鸟嘌呤和O4-胸腺嘧啶甲基化与DNA碱基异常氢键作用的理论研究

用密度泛函B3LYP方法在6-311＋G**基组水平上对顺(cis-)、反式(anti-)O⁶-甲基鸟嘌呤(O⁶-MeG)和O⁴-甲基胸腺嘧啶(O⁴-MeT)与DNA碱基(腺嘌呤A、鸟嘌呤G)的非Watson-Crick氢键二聚体进行了优化. 在MP2/cc-pVXZ (X＝D,T)//B3LYP/6-311＋G**水平上, 采用完全基组外推方法校正了氢键二聚体的相互作用能, 并用完全均衡校正法(CP)校正了基组重叠误差(BSSE). 此外, 在B3LYP/6-311＋G**水平上计算了各氢键碱基对的全电子波函数, 并用分子中的原子理论(AIM)和电子密度拓扑方法分析了碱基间的弱相互作用. 计算结果显示, 甲基化使碱基对间的氢键作用模式发生了明显的扭转和不同程度的位移, 碱基间的电子密度分布和氢键作用能明显减小, 甲基化对O⁶-MeG和O⁴-MeT与DNA碱基间的氢键作用是去稳定化的, 这种影响主要来自于大体积的甲基的空间效应和给电子效应, 且对顺式的影响明显大于反式. 计算结果与文献给出的实验结论基本一致.     

带电组氨酸侧链与DNA碱基间非键作用强度的理论研究

采用MP2方法和6-31+G(d,p)基组优化得到了带有一个正电荷的组氨酸侧链与4个DNA碱基间形成的18个氢键复合物的气相稳定结构, 从文献中获取了组氨酸侧链与DNA碱基间形成的12个堆积和T型复合物的气相稳定结构, 使用包含基组重叠误差(BSSE)校正的MP2方法和aug-cc-pVTZ基组及密度泛函理论M06-2X-D3方法和aug-cc-pVDZ基组计算了这些复合物的结合能. 研究结果表明, 包含BSSE校正的M06-2X-D3方法和aug-cc-pVDZ基组能够给出较准确的结合能; 气相条件下, 组氨酸侧链与同种DNA碱基间的离子氢键作用明显强于堆积作用和T型作用, 组氨酸侧链最易通过离子氢键与胞嘧啶C和鸟嘌呤G作用形成氢键复合物, 组氨酸与胞嘧啶C和鸟嘌呤G间的T型作用强于与腺嘌呤A和胸腺嘧啶T间的离子氢键作用; 水相条件下, 组氨酸侧链与同种DNA碱基间的离子氢键作用仍明显强于堆积作用和T型作用, 组氨酸侧链更易与胞嘧啶C和鸟嘌呤G相互作用形成氢键复合物, 但是最强的组氨酸侧链与胞嘧啶C间的T型作用明显弱于与腺嘌呤A和胸腺嘧啶T间的离子氢键作用, 说明水相条件下组氨酸侧链与DNA碱基间主要通过离子氢键作用形成氢键复合物.     

在遗传字母序列中新添两个字母

在此以前遗传字母序列中仅有四个字母(或碱基),即腺嘌呤(A),鸟嘌呤(G)、胸腺嘧啶(u或DNA的T)和胞嘧啶(C)。这些碱基通过氨基和羰基间的氢键使双链螺旋型RNA中的两条互补链结合在一起。其中,A与u形成两个氢键,G与C形成三个氢键,从而组成两个碱基对。生物世界就是靠这两个“碱基对”来运载遗传信息。最近,瑞士生物化学家Steven A.Benner证实其它碱基对亦可能运载遗传信息。例如,将鸟嘌呤或胞嘧啶中的羰基和氨基互相异位,可得到异嘌呤或异胞嘧啶。含这些非标准碱基的核苷酸能通过三个氢键作用形成所谓的Watson-Crick碱基对。     

铂配合物与DNA碱基对间相互作用的理论研究

用量子化学方法研究一系列Pt(II)配合物作用于嘌呤碱基N7位点后对Watson-Crick碱基对AT、GC的影响. 计算结果显示铂配体与碱基对AT、GC的作用以静电作用为主，同时极化作用也是影响GC碱基对的重要因素. 静电作用极大地增强了铂化嘌呤碱基与嘧啶碱基间的相互作用，而嘌呤碱基与嘧啶碱基间作用与未铂化碱基对作用相近. Pd(II) 和 Ni(II)的相关研究得到类似的结果. 碱基对间氢键作用“二阶微扰能”分析结果与氢键强弱变化一致.     

精氨酸侧链和核酸碱基间离子氢键作用强度分析

采用MP2/6-31+G(d,p)方法优化得到了22个由精氨酸侧链与碱基尿嘧啶、 胸腺嘧啶、 胞嘧啶、 鸟嘌呤及腺嘌呤形成的氢键复合物的气相稳定结构, 使用包含BSSE校正的MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ方法计算得到了复合物的气相结合能, 通过MP2/6-31+G(d,p)方法和PCM模型优化得到了复合物的水相稳定结构, 采用MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ方法和PCM模型计算得到了复合物的水相结合能. 研究发现, 精氨酸侧链与碱基间的离子氢键作用强度与单体间电荷转移量、 氢键临界点电子密度及二阶作用稳定化能密切相关. 与中性氢键相比, 离子氢键作用具有更显著的共价作用成分. 研究还发现, 精氨酸侧链和碱基间形成的氢键复合物的稳定性次序可以通过氢键受体碱基分子上氧原子和氮原子的质子化反应焓变进行预测, 质子化反应焓变越负, 形成的氢键复合物越稳定.     

Cu2+对腺嘧啶-胸腺嘧啶碱基对阴离子质子转移的影响

采用B3LYP/DZP++方法研究了腺嘌呤-胸腺嘧啶(A-T)碱基对阴离子(AT)-的单质子转移机理以及金属离子Cu2+对(AT)-碱基对质子转移的影响.(AT)-碱基对的单质子转移路径是由胸腺嘧啶N25位上的质子H26沿分子间的氢键N25-H26…N10转移到腺嘌呤的N10位.金属Cu2+可通过络合作用分别吸附在(AT)-碱基对O24、O28、N4、N13上,从而影响(AT)-碱基对中质子转移过程.Cu2+络合作用在胸腺嘧啶(T)的O24、O28上时,发生了从胸腺嘧啶到腺嘌呤方向上的单质子转移反应;而作用在腺嘌呤(A)的N4、N13上时,得到了双质子转移的稳定产物.     

DNA碱基激光拉曼光谱检测方法的研究

以激光拉曼光谱仪采集腺嘌呤(A)、鸟嘌呤(G)、胞嘧啶(C)、胸腺嘧啶(T)的拉曼光谱图,分析了各碱基谱峰归属,并依据归属结果检测混合碱基组成。结果显示:4种碱基的特征峰集中在175～1 800cm~(-1)。相同积分时间和激光功率条件下,该波段内嘌呤碱基的激光拉曼光谱峰高于嘧啶碱基的谱峰。腺嘌呤、鸟嘌呤、胞嘧啶、胸腺嘧啶分别在723、648、791、1 368 cm~(-1)处的谱峰最强,利用这些特征峰能在2min内鉴别出混合碱基中的各碱基。     

取代基对2-脲基-4(1H)-嘧啶酮衍生物聚集行为的影响

2-脲基-4(1H)-嘧啶酮(UPy)结构上的6位取代基会影响UPy的离域π电子云的密度,6位取代基的给电子诱导效应越强,π电子云的密度越大,四重氢键的作用越强。脲基嘧啶酮结构即UPy结构的二聚体的势能最低,表明该结构在体系内最为稳定。随着嘧啶环上的电子云密度增加,离域π键间的电子斥力增强,(001)晶面间距逐渐增大。异氰酸酯结构的空间位阻增大会阻碍UPy中氢原子与相邻嘧啶酮之间的接触,使得氢键作用强度减弱;同时,较大的空间位阻会阻碍嘧啶环间的π-π相互作用,使得(001)晶面间距增大。     

核酸碱基与甘氨酸二肽间氢键作用的最佳位点

优化得到了碱基腺嘌呤、胸腺嘧啶、尿嘧啶、鸟嘌呤及胞嘧啶与甘氨酸二肽分子形成的28个氢键复合物的稳定结构并计算了结合能, 探讨了五种碱基与甘氨酸二肽分子间氢键作用的最佳位点. 本文研究发现: 每种碱基均可以通过不同位点与二肽分子形成氢键复合物, 腺嘌呤、胸腺嘧啶、尿嘧啶、鸟嘌呤及胞嘧啶分别最倾向使用A3、T1、U1、G3及C1位点与甘氨酸二肽分子形成氢键复合物; 碱基分子某位点的质子化反应焓变越负所形成的氢键复合物越稳定, 去质子化反应焓变越小所形成的氢键复合物越稳定; 由氢键复合物的结合能计算得到的稳定性次序与由碱基分子质子化和去质子化反应焓变推得的稳定性次序一致.     

A QM/MM study of cisplatin-DNA oligonucleotides: from simple models to realistic systems

QM/MM calculations were employed to investigate the role of hydrogen bonding and pi stacking in several single- and double-stranded cisplatin-DNA structures. Computed geometrical parameters reproduce experimental structures of cisplatin and its complex with guanine-phosphate-guanine. Following QM/MM optimisation, single-point DFT calculations allowed estimation of intermolecular forces through atoms in molecules (AIM) analysis. Binding energies of platinated single-strand DNA qualitatively agree with myriad experimental and theoretical studies showing that complexes of guanine are stronger than those of adenine. The topology of all studied complexes confirms that platination strongly affects the stability of both single- and double-stranded DNAs: Pt-N-H...X (X = N or O) interactions are ubiquitous in these complexes and account for over 70 % of all H-bonding interactions. The pi stacking is greatly reduced by both mono- and bifunctional complexation: the former causes a loss of about 3-4 kcal mol(-1), whereas the latter leads to more drastic disruption. The effect of platination on Watson-Crick GC is similar to that found in previous studies: major redistribution of energy occurs, but the overall stability is barely affected. The BH&H/AMBER/AIM approach was also used to study platination of a double-stranded DNA octamer d(CCTG*G*TCC)d(GGACCAGG), for which an experimental structure is available. Comparison between theory and experiment is satisfactory, and also reproduces previous DFT-based studies of analogous structures. The effect of platination is similar to that seen in model systems, although the effect on GC pairing was more pronounced. These calculations also reveal weaker, secondary interactions of the form Pt...O and Pt...N, detected in several single- and double-stranded DNA.     

True stabilization energies for the optimal planar hydrogen-bonded and stacked structures of guanine...cytosine, adenine...thymine, and their 9- and 1-methyl derivatives: complete basis set calculations at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels and comparison with experiment

Planar H-bonded and stacked structures of guanine...cytosine (G.C), adenine...thymine (A...T), 9-methylguanine...1-methylcytosine (mG...mC), and 9-methyladenine...1-methylthymine (mA...mT) were optimized at the RI-MP2 level using the TZVPP ([5s3p2d1f/3s2p1d]) basis set. Planar H-bonded structures of G...C, mG...mC, and A...T correspond to the Watson-Crick (WC) arrangement, in contrast to mA...mT for which the Hoogsteen (H) structure is found. Stabilization energies for all structures were determined as the sum of the complete basis set limit of MP2 energies and a (DeltaE(CCSD(T)) - DeltaE(MP2)) correction term evaluated with the cc-pVDZ(0.25,0.15) basis set. The complete basis set limit of MP2 energies was determined by two-point extrapolation using the aug-cc-pVXZ basis sets for X = D and T and X = T and Q. This procedure is required since the convergency of the MP2 interaction energy for the present complexes is rather slow, and it is thus important to include the extrapolation to the complete basis set limit. For the MP2/aug-cc-pVQZ level of theory, stabilization energies for all complexes studied are already very close to the complete basis set limit. The much cheaper D-->T extrapolation provided a complete basis set limit close (by less than 0.7 kcal/mol) to the more accurate T-->Q term, and the D-->T extrapolation can be recommended for evaluation of complete basis set limits of more extended complexes (e.g. larger motifs of DNA). The convergency of the (DeltaE(CCSD(T)) - DeltaE(MP2)) term is known to be faster than that of the MP2 or CCSD(T) correlation energy itself, and the cc-pVDZ(0.25,0.15) basis set provides reasonable values for planar H-bonded as well as stacked structures. Inclusion of the CCSD(T) correction is essential for obtaining reliable relative values for planar H-bonding and stacking interactions; neglecting the CCSD(T) correction results in very considerable errors between 2.5 and 3.4 kcal/mol. Final stabilization energies (kcal/mol) for the base pairs studied are very substantial (A...T WC, 15.4; mA...mT H, 16.3; A...T stacked, 11.6; mA...mT stacked, 13.1; G...C WC, 28.8; mG...mC WC, 28.5; G...C stacked, 16.9; mG...mC stacked, 18.0), much larger than published previously. On the basis of comparison with experimental data, we conclude that our values represent the lower boundary of the true stabilization energies. On the basis of error analysis, we expect the present H-bonding energies to be fairly close to the true values, while stacked energies are still expected to be about 10% too low. The stacking energy for the mG...mC pair is considerably lower than the respective H-bonding energy, but it is larger than the mA...mT H-bonding energy. This conclusion could significantly change the present view on the importance of specific H-bonding interactions and nonspecific stacking interactions in nature, for instance, in DNA. Present stabilization energies for H-bonding and stacking energies represent the most accurate and reliable values and can be considered as new reference data.     

Computational comparison of the stacking interactions between the aromatic amino acids and the natural or (cationic) methylated nucleobases

The strongest gas-phase MP2/6-31G*(0.25) stacking energies between the aromatic amino acids and the natural or methylated nucleobases were considered. The potential energy surfaces of dimers were searched as a function of the vertical separation, angle of rotation and horizontal displacement between monomers stacked according to their centers of mass. Our calculations reveal that the stacking interactions of adducts for a given nucleobase are dependent on the methylation site (by up to 20 kJ mol(-1)), where the relative magnitudes of the interactions are determined by the dipole moments of the adducts and the proton affinities of nucleobase methylation sites. Nevertheless, the differences in the (gas-phase) stacking of methylated adducts are small compared with the differences between the stacking of the corresponding natural and methylated nucleobases. Indeed, methylation increases the stacking energy by up to 40 kJ mol(-1) (or 135%). Although immersing the dimers in different solvents decreases the gas-phase stacking energies with an increase in the polarity of the environment, base methylation still has a significant effect on the nucleobase stacking ability in solvents with large dipole moments, and, perhaps more importantly, environments that mimic enzyme active sites. Our results shed light on the workings of DNA repairs enzymes that selectively remove a wide variety of alkylated nucleobases over the natural bases.     

Gas-phase DNA oligonucleotide structures. A QM/MM and atoms in molecules study

QM/MM calculations have been employed to investigate the role of hydrogen bonding and pi-stacking in single- and double-stranded DNA oligonucleotides. DFT calculations and Atoms in Molecules analysis on QM/MM-optimized structures allow characterization and estimation of the energies of pi-stacking and hydrogen-bond interactions. This shows that pi-stacking interactions depend on the number and the nature of the DNA bases for single-stranded nucleotides; for instance, guanines are found to be involved in strong hydrogen bonds, whereas adenines interact mainly via stacking interactions. The role of interbase hydrogen bonding was explored: the -NH2 groups of guanine, adenine, and cytosine participate in N-H...O and N-H...N interactions. These are much stronger in single-strand oligonucleotides, where the -NH2 groups are highly nonplanar. In double-stranded DNA, the strong base-pairing hydrogen bonds of complementary bases lead to more planar -NH2 groups, which tend to be involved in pi-stacking interactions rather than H-bonds. The use of AIM also allows us to evaluate the interplay of pi-stacking and H-bonding, suggesting that cooperativity does occur, but is generally limited to about 1-2 kcal/mol.     

The effect of methylation on the hydrogen-bonding and stacking interaction of nucleic acid bases

Methylated nucleosides play an important role in DNA/RNA function, and may affect republication by interrupting the base-pairing and base-stacking. In order to investigate the effect of methylation on the interaction between nucleic acid bases, this work presents the hydrogen-bonding and stacking interactions between 5-methylcytosine and guanine (G), cytosine (C) and G, 1-methyladenine and thymine (T), as well as adenine and T. Geometry optimization and potential energy surface scan have been performed for the involved complexes by MP2 calculations. The interaction energies, which were corrected for the basis-set superposition error by the full Boys–Bernardi counterpoise correction scheme, were used to evaluate the interaction intensity of these nucleic acid bases. The atoms in molecules theory and natural bond orbital analysis have been performed to study the hydrogen bonds in these complexes. The result shows that the methyl substitute contributes the stability to these complexes because it enhances either the hydrogen bonding or the staking interaction between nucleic acid bases studied.     

Efficient calculation of many stacking and pairing free energies in DNA from a few molecular dynamics simulations

Through the use of the one-step perturbation approach, 130 free energies of base stacking and 1024 free energies of base pairing in DNA have been calculated from only five simulations of a nonphysical reference state. From analysis of a diverse set of 23 natural and unnatural bases, it appears that stacking free energies and stacking conformations play an important role in pairing of DNA nucleotides. On the one hand, favourable pairing free energies were found for bases that do not have the possibility to form canonical hydrogen bonds, while on the other hand, good hydrogen-bonding possibilities do not guarantee a favourable pairing free energy if the stacking of the bases dictates an unfavourable conformation. In this application, the one-step perturbation approach yields a wealth of both energetic and structural information at minimal computational cost.     

Insights into DNA binding of ruthenium arene complexes: role of hydrogen bonding and pi stacking

Density functional theory (DFT) methods are used to investigate the binding of ruthenium arene complexes, proposed as promising anticancer drugs, to isolated nucleobases. This shows a clear preference for binding at guanine over any other base and an approximately 100 kJ mol (-1) difference in binding between guanine and adenine in the gas phase, while binding to cytosine and inosine are intermediate in energy between these extremes. Solvation reduces binding energies and the discrimination between bases but maintains the overall pattern of binding. DFT and ab initio data on arene-base interactions in the absence of ruthenium show that stacking and hydrogen-bonding interactions play a significant role but cannot account for all of the energy difference between bases observed. Atoms-in-molecules analysis allows further decomposition of binding energies into contributions from covalent-binding, hydrogen-bonding, and pi-stacking interactions. Larger arenes undergo stabilizing stacking interactions, whereas N-H...X hydrogen bonding is independent of arene. Pairing of guanine to cytosine is affected by ruthenium complexation, with individual hydrogen-bonding energies being altered but the overall pairing energy remaining almost constant.     

Toward true DNA base-stacking energies: MP2, CCSD(T), and complete basis set calculations

Stacking energies in low-energy geometries of pyrimidine, uracil, cytosine, and guanine homodimers were determined by the MP2 and CCSD(T) calculations utilizing a wide range of split-valence, correlation-consistent, and bond-functions basis sets. Complete basis set MP2 (CBS MP2) stacking energies extrapolated using aug-cc-pVXZ (X = D, T, and for pyrimidine dimer Q) basis sets equal to -5.3, -12.3, and -11.2 kcal/mol for the first three dimers, respectively. Higher-order correlation corrections estimated as the difference between MP2 and CCSD(T) stacking energies amount to 2.0, 0.7, and 0.9 kcal/mol and lead to final estimates of the genuine stacking energies for the three dimers of -3.4, -11.6, and -10.4 kcal/mol. The CBS MP2 stacking-energy estimate for guanine dimer (-14.8 kcal/mol) was based on the 6-31G(0.25) and aug-cc-pVDZ calculations. This simplified extrapolation can be routinely used with a meaningful accuracy around 1 kcal/mol for large aromatic stacking clusters. The final estimate of the guanine stacking energy after the CCSD(T) correction amounts to -12.9 kcal/mol. The MP2/6-31G(0.25) method previously used as the standard level to calculate aromatic stacking in hundreds of geometries of nucleobase dimers systematically underestimates the base stacking by ca. 1.0-2.5 kcal/mol per stacked dimer, covering 75-90% of the intermolecular correlation stabilization. We suggest that this correction is to be considered in calibration of force fields and other cheaper computational methods. The quality of the MP2/6-31G(0.25) predictions is nevertheless considerably better than suggested on the basis of monomer polarizability calculations. Fast and very accurate estimates of the MP2 aromatic stacking energies can be achieved using the RI-MP2 method. The CBS MP2 calculations and the CCSD(T) correction, when taken together, bring only marginal changes to the relative stability of H-bonded and stacked base pairs, with a slight shift of ca. 1 kcal/mol in favor of H-bonding. We suggest that the present values are very close to ultimate predictions of the strength of aromatic base stacking of DNA and RNA bases.     

DFT study of the monomers and dimers of 2-pyrrolidone: equilibrium structures, vibrational, orbital, topological, and NBO analysis of hydrogen-bonded interactions

A computational study of the monomers and hydrogen-bonded dimers of 2-pyrrolidone was executed at different DFT levels and basis sets. The above dimeric complexes were treated theoretically to elucidate the nature of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds, geometry, thermodynamic parameters, interaction energies, and charge transfer. The processes of dimer formation from monomers and concerted reactions of double proton transfer were considered. The evolution of geometry, vibrational frequencies, charge distribution, and AIM properties in going from monomers to dimers was systematically followed. The solvent effects upon dimer formation were investigated in terms of the self-consistent reaction field (SCRF Onsager model). For the monomers and three dimers, vibrational frequencies were calculated and the changes in frequencies of the vibrations most sensitive to complexation were discussed. The orbital interactions were shown to lengthen the X-H (X = N, O) bond and lower its vibrational frequency (a red shift). To better understand the nature of the corresponding intermolecular interactions, we performed natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. Topological analysis of electron density at bond critical points (BCP) was executed for complex molecules using the Bader's atoms in molecules (AIM) theory. The interaction energies were calculated, and the basis set superposition errors (BSSE) were estimated systematically. Satisfactory correlations between the structural parameters, interaction energies, and electron density characteristics at BCP were found.     

Interaction between uracil nucleobase and phenylalanine amino acid: the role of sodium cation in stacking

The stacking interactions in the uracil:phenylalanine (U:PHE) and (U:PHE)···Na⁺ complexes have been studied at different levels of theory, in which the structures were optimized by both standard and gradient counterpoise corrected methods. The Na⁺ cation can interact with different sites of stacked U:PHE unit. The geometrical parameters of the optimized structures and the calculated binding energies reveal the influence of cation interaction on π–π stacking and vice versa. The interplay between π–π stacking and cation interaction has also been investigated by topological analysis of electron charge density using atoms in molecules (AIM) method. A good agreement between the results of AIM analysis and calculated binding energies has been observed in dimer and complexes.