Structure and hydration of polycytidylic acid from the data of infrared spectroscopy, EHF dielectrometry and computer modeling

The aim of this paper is to summarize the original results concerned with the elucidation of the role of water environment in the formation of different structures of polyribocytidylic acid (poly(rC)), depending on the pH, temperature and ion content. To solve this problem, we studied the hydration of poly(rC)-K⁺ in films differing in water content, by methods of infrared spectroscopy and piezogravimetry, and in solution, using the dielectric measurements at a wavelength of 7.6 mm (extremely high frequencies — EHF). The experimental results were confirmed by a Monte Carlo simulation of the interaction between water molecules and single-strand and double-strand poly(rC) fragments in clusters of 800 water molecules. A model of hydration of double-strand complex of poly(rC)⁺-poly(rC) has been proposed based on our results and the known X-ray parameters of the complex. The obtained results and proposed structure of poly(rC)⁺-poly(rC) suggest that, the stabilization of this complex occurs due to intra- and inter-chain water bridges, together with the hydrogen bonds between neutral and protonated cytosines in pairs.