Novel benzopyrimidines as widened analogues of DNA bases

We report on the synthesis, stacking, and pairing properties of a new structural class of size-expanded pyrimidine nucleosides, abbreviated dyT and dyC. Their bases are benzo-homologated variants of thymine and cytosine and have a design that is distinct from a previously described class of size-expanded (xDNA) pyrimidines, with a different vector of expansion relative to the sugar. We term this new base geometry "yDNA" (a mnemonic for "wide DNA"). Both C-glycosides were prepared using Pd-mediated coupling of iodinated base derivatives with a deoxyribose precursor. As free deoxynucleosides, both dyT and dyC displayed robust fluorescence, with emission maxima at 375 and 390 nm, respectively. Both widened pyrimidines could be incorporated readily as protected phosphoramidite derivatives into synthetic oligonucleotides. Experiments in "dangling end" DNA contexts revealed that both yT and yC stack more favorably than their natural counterparts. When opposite natural bases in the context of Watson-Crick DNA were paired, the yT nucleotide formed a pair with A that was equally stable as a T-A pair, despite the mismatch in size with the neighboring natural pairs. The yC nucleotide (paired opposite G) was destabilizing by a small amount in the same context. Despite the large size of the pairs, both yT and yC were selective for their Watson-Crick complementary partners A and G, respectively. The pairing properties and fluorescence of yDNA nucleotides may lead to useful applications in the study of steric effects in DNA-protein interactions. In addition, the compounds may serve as building blocks for a large-sized artificial genetic system.     

Expanded-size bases in naturally sized DNA: evaluation of steric effects in Watson-Crick pairing

We describe physicochemical properties in DNA of altered-size nucleobases that retain Watson-Crick analogous hydrogen-bonding ability. Size-expanded analogues of adenine and thymine (xA and xT, respectively, which are expanded by benzo-fusion) were incorporated into natural DNA oligonucleotides, and their effects on helix stability were measured. Base stacking studies revealed that the two stretched analogues stack much more strongly than do their naturally sized counterparts. In contrast to this, pairing studies showed that single substitutions of the new bases are destabilizing to the natural helix as compared to A or T in standard A-T pairs in the same context, unless multiple adjacent substitutions are used. Interestingly, the size-expanded bases displayed selective recognition of the hydrogen-bonding complementary partners, suggesting that Watson-Crick analogous pairs were still formed despite local backbone strain. In an attempt to compensate for the added size of the expanded adenine, we tested a formamide deoxynucleoside, which Leonard proposed as a shortened thymine analogue (F(o)). Data showed, however, that this compound adopts a conformation unfavorable for pairing. On the basis of the combined thermodynamic data, we estimate the energetic cost of the 2.4 A stretching of an isolated base pair in DNA at ca. +1 to 2 kcal/mol. Notably, during the pairing studies, the two size-expanded nucleobases were found to display significant changes in fluorescence on formation of stacked versus unstacked structures, suggesting possible applications in probing nucleic acid structures and biochemical mechanisms.     

Ab initio study of naphtho-homologated DNA bases

Naphtho-homologated DNA bases have been recently used to build a new type of size-expanded DNA known as yyDNA. We have used theoretical techniques to investigate the structure, tautomeric preferences, base-pairing ability, stacking interactions, and HOMO-LUMO gaps of the naphtho-bases. The structure of these bases is found to be similar to that of the benzo-fused predecessors (y-bases) with respect to the planarity of the aromatic rings and amino groups. Tautomeric studies reveal that the canonical-like forms of naphtho-thymine (yyT) and naphtho-adenine (yyA) are the most stable tautomers, leading to hydrogen-bonded dimers with the corresponding natural nucleobases that mimic the Watson-Crick pairing. However, the canonical-like species of naphtho-guanine (yyG) and naphtho-cytosine (yyC) are not the most stable tautomers, and the most favorable hydrogen-bonded dimers involve wobble-like pairings. The expanded size of the naphtho-bases leads to stacking interactions notably larger than those found for the natural bases, and they should presumably play a dominant contribution in modulating the structure of yyDNA duplexes. Finally, the HOMO-LUMO gap of the naphtho-bases is smaller than that of their benzo-base counterparts, indicating that size-expansion of DNA bases is an efficient way of reducing their HOMO-LUMO gap. These results are examined in light of the available experimental evidence reported for yyT and yyC.     

Sequence dependence of charge transport through DNA domains

Here we examine the photooxidation of two kinetically fast electron hole traps, N4-cyclopropylcytosine (CPC) and N2-cyclopropylamine-guanosine (CPG), incorporated in DNA duplexes of various sequence using different photooxidants. DNA oxidation studies are carried out either with noncovalently bound [Ru(phen)(dppz)(bpy')]3+ (dppz = dipyridophenazine) and [Rh(phi)2(bpy)]3+ (phi = phenanthrenequinone diimine) or with anthraquinone tethered to DNA. Because the cyclopropylamine-substituted bases decompose rapidly upon oxidation, their efficiency of decomposition provides a measure of relative hole localization. Consistent with a higher oxidation potential for CPC versus CPG in DNA, CPC decomposes with photooxidation by [Rh(phi)2(bpy)]3+, while CPG undergoes ring-opening both with photoexcited [Rh(phi)2(bpy)]3+ and with [Ru(phen)(dppz)(bpy')]3+. Anthraquinone-modified DNA assemblies of identical base composition but different base sequence are also probed. Single and double base substitutions within adenine tracts modulate CPC decomposition. In fact, the entire sequence within the DNA assembly is seen to govern CPC oxidation, not simply the bases intervening between CPC and the tethered photooxidant. These data are reconciled in the context of a mechanistic model of conformationally gated charge transport through delocalized DNA domains. Photooxidations of anthraquinone-modified DNA assemblies containing both CPC and CPG, but with varied distances separating the modified bases, point to a domain size of at least three bases. Our model for DNA charge transport is distinguished from polaron models. In our model, delocalized domains within the base pair stack form transiently based upon sequence-dependent DNA structure and dynamics. Given these results, DNA charge transport is indeed remarkably sensitive to DNA sequence and structure.     

Hydrophobic, Non-Hydrogen-Bonding Bases and Base Pairs in DNA

We report the properties of hydrophobic isosteres of pyrimidines and purines in synthetic DNA duplexes. Phenyl nucleosides 1 and 2 are nonpolar isosteres of the natural thymidine nucleoside, and indole nucleoside 3 is an analog of the complementary purine 2-aminodeoxyadenosine. The nucleosides were incorporated into synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides and were paired against each other and against the natural bases. Thermal denaturation experiments were used to measure the stabilities of the duplexes at neutral pH. It is found that the hydrophobic base analogs are nonselective in pairing with the four natural bases but selective for pairing with each other rather than with the natural bases. For example, compound 2 selectively pairs with itself rather than with A, T, G, or C; the magnitude of this selectivity is found to be 6.5-9.3 °C in Tm or 1.5-1.8 kcal/mol in free energy (25 °C). All possible hydrophobic pairing combinations of 1, 2, and 3 were examined. Results show that the pairing affinity depends on the nature of the pairs and on position in the duplex. The highest affinity pairs are found to be the 1-1 and 2-2 self-pairs and the 1-2 heteropair. The best stabilization occurs when the pairs are placed at the ends of duplexes rather than internally; the internal pairs may be destabilized by imperfect steric mimicry which leads to non-ideal duplex structure. In some cases the hydrophobic pairs are significantly stabilizing to the DNA duplex; for example, when situated at the end of a duplex, the 1-1 pair is more stabilizing than a T-A pair. When situated internally, the affinity of the 1-1 pair is the same as, or slightly better than, the analogous T-T mismatch pair, which is known to have two hydrogen bonds. The studies raise the possibility that hydrogen bonds may not always be required for the formation of stable duplex DNA-like structure. In addition, the results point out the importance of solvation and desolvation in natural base pairing, and lend new support to the idea that hydrogen bonds in DNA may be more important for specificity of pairing than for affinity. Finally, the study raises the possibility of using these or related base pairs to expand the genetic code beyond the natural A-T and G-C pairs.     

A new four-base genetic helix, yDNA, composed of widened benzopyrimidine-purine pairs

We describe the properties of stable DNA-like self-assembled helices composed entirely of base pairs involving two new size-expanded pyrimidines. We term this new helix geometry "yDNA" (an abbreviation of "wide DNA"). The new pyrimidine analogues, yT and yC, are increased in size by benzo-homologation and have a geometry that is distinct from previous size-expanded pyrimidines. The yT and yC deoxyribosides were incorporated into oligodeoxynucleotides designed to form four pairs: yT-A, A-yT, yC-G, and G-yC. Helices were characterized by thermal denaturation, mixing data, and circular dichroism spectra. Results showed that highly stable double-stranded helices were formed in several sequence contexts. The data further showed that yT and yC could be segregated onto one strand and used to bind to natural strands of DNA with high sequence selectivity. The combination of yC, yT, G, and A make up a new selective, self-assembling four-base genetic pairing system that functions in many respects like natural DNA, but which is structurally distinct. The results establish that multiple variants of size-expanded DNA-like helices are feasible and suggest the possibility of a future eight-base genetic system based on the yDNA geometry. Finally, the high binding selectivity, affinity, and fluorescence of yDNA strands may yield useful applications in detection of nucleic acid sequences.     

柔红霉素与DNA作用的序列特异性研究

采用紫外-可见光谱法和紫外-可见光谱电化学法研究了柔红霉素(DNR)与不同寡聚核苷酸之间的相互作用.结果表明,DNR优先作用于寡聚核苷酸的CpG位点,然后是ApG和ApC.因为DNR可与鸟嘌呤之间形成3个氢键.与双链寡聚核苷酸作用时,DNR最先插入的位点是(CpG)₂碱基对之间,其次是(TpG)(CpA)和(GpC)(ApC)碱基对之间.当DNR与存在未配对G碱基的DNA链作用时,因游离的DNR量增加使其电化学活性增加,导致DNA构象和构型的变化,使DNA生理功能受到损伤,DNA碱基增色效应显著上升.此法可用于G碱基未配对DNA链的检测.     

Design of a fused triazolyl 2-quinolinone unnatural nucleoside via tandem CuAAC-Ullmann coupling reaction and study of photophysical property

This report presents the design and synthesis of a novel fused triazolyl 2-quinolinone (FTQuon) nucleoside as a new generation of angularly widened unnatural nucleobase surrogate with two possible H-bonding faces-one H-bond acceptor and another donor. The synthesis via a tandem CuAAC-Ullmann coupling, the study of photophysical properties and theoretical calculation in the context of DNA are the main contents of this report. The newly designed nucleoside shows interesting photphysical property with slight blue shifted solvatochromicity. It also shows pH sensitive emission. All the theoretical DNA duplexes containing the FTQuon show right?handed B-form helicity as revealed from a molecular dynamics simulation using Schrodinger Macromodel. A theoretical (DFT) study indicates a good stabilizing property of FTQuon via pairing with natural pyrimidine bases. It also shows good interaction property with BSA protein signalled via a switch on fluorescence response.     

Selective pairing of polyfluorinated DNA bases

Novel selective non-hydrogen-bonding DNA base pairs utilizing fluorinated nucleoside analogues have been investigated. Melting studies of DNA duplexes containing 2,3,4,5-tetrafluorobenzene and 4,5,6,7-tetrafluoroindole bases on opposite strands show greater stabilization of the duplex compared with nonfluorinated hydrocarbon controls. Overall, these hydrophobic analogues are destabilizing compared with natural base pairs but are stabilizing compared with natural base mismatches. Such selective pairing may be due to solvent avoidance of these hydrophobic structures, burying their surfaces within the duplex. Our findings suggest that polyfluoroaromatic bases might be employed as a new, selective base-pairing system orthogonal to the natural genetic system.     

Unveiling the complex pattern of intermolecular interactions responsible for the stability of the DNA duplex

Herein, we provide new insights into the intermolecular interactions responsible for the intrinsic stability of the duplex structure of a large portion of human B-DNA by using advanced quantum mechanical methods. Our results indicate that (i) the effect of non-neighboring bases on the inter-strand interaction is negligibly small, (ii) London dispersion effects are essential for the stability of the duplex structure, (iii) the largest contribution to the stability of the duplex structure is the Watson–Crick base pairing – consistent with previous computational investigations, (iv) the effect of stacking between adjacent bases is relatively small but still essential for the duplex structure stability and (v) there are no cooperativity effects between intra-strand stacking and inter-strand base pairing interactions. These results are consistent with atomic force microscope measurements and provide the first theoretical validation of nearest neighbor approaches for predicting thermodynamic data of arbitrary DNA sequences.

Advanced electronic structure methods provide a new insight into the intermolecular interactions responsible for the intrinsic stability of the duplex structure of human DNA.     

Size-expanded analogues of dG and dC: synthesis and pairing properties in DNA

We describe the completion of the set of four benzo-fused expanded DNA (xDNA) nucleoside analogues. We previously reported the development of benzo-fused analogues of dA and dT and their inclusion in an exceptionally stable new four-base genetic system, termed xDNA, in which the base pairs were expanded in size. Here we describe the preparation and properties of the second half of this nucleotide set: namely, the previously unknown dxC and dxG nucleosides. The dxC analogue was prepared from the previously reported dxT nucleoside in three steps and 57% yield. The large-sized deoxyguanosine analogue was prepared from an intermediate in the synthesis of dxA, yielding dxG in 14 steps overall (2.4%). Suitably protected versions of the deoxynucleosides were prepared for oligonucleotide synthesis following standard procedures, and they were readily incorporated into DNA by automated synthesizer. "Dangling-end" measurements revealed that the benzo-fused homologues stack considerably more strongly on neighboring DNA sequences than do their natural counterparts. Base pairing experiments with xC or xG bases showed that they pair selectively with their Watson-Crick partners, but with mild destabilization, due apparently to their larger size. Overall, the data suggest that the fluorescent xG and xC bases may be useful probes of steric effects in the study of biological nucleotide recognition mechanisms. In addition, the completion of the xDNA nucleoside set makes it possible in the future to construct full four-base xDNA strands that can target any sequence of natural DNA and RNA.     

Fluorescent hydrophobic zippers inside duplex DNA: interstrand stacking of perylene-3,4:9,10-tetracarboxylic acid bisimides as artificial DNA base dyes

Perylene-3,4:9,10-tetracarboxylic acid bisimides (PBs) were incorporated synthetically into oligonucleotides by using automated DNA building-block chemistry. The 2'-deoxyribofuranoside of the natural nucleosides was replaced by (S)-aminopropan-2,3-diol as an acyclic linker between the phosphodiester bridges that is tethered to one of the imide nitrogen atoms of the PB dye. The S configuration of this linker was chosen to mimic the stereochemical situation at the 3'-position of the natural 2'-deoxyribofuranosides. By using this strategy, up to six PB dyes were incorporated in the middle of 18-mer DNA duplexes by using interstrand alternating sequences of PBs with thymines or an abasic site analogue. Both PB dimers and PB hexamers as artificial base substitutions inside the duplexes yield characteristic excimer-type fluorescence. The stacking properties of the PB chromophores are modulated by the presence or absence of thymines opposite the PB modification site in the counterstrand. The interstrand PB dimers can be regarded as hydrophobically interacting base pairs, which display a characteristic fluorescence readout signal. Hence, for the PB hexamers, we proposed a zipperlike recognition motif that is formed inside duplex DNA. The PB zipper shows characteristic excimer-type emission as a fluorescence readout signal for the pairing interaction.     

A series of nonpolar thymidine analogues of increasing size: DNA base pairing and stacking properties

[reaction: see text] We describe the properties in DNA of a set of five nonpolar nucleoside mimics in which shape is similar but size is increased gradually. The compounds vary in the size of their exocyclic substituents, which range from hydrogen to iodine, and are designed to test the steric effects of nucleosides, nucleotides, and DNA in biological systems in a systematic way. We describe the conversion of toluene, 2,4-difluorotoluene, 2,4-dichlorotoluene, 2,4-dibromotoluene, and 2,4-diiodotoluene deoxyribosides into suitably protected phosphoramidite derivatives and their incorporation into synthetic DNAs. Studies of their behavior in the context of hexamer and dodecamer duplexes were carried out, with comparison to natural thymine. Thermal melting data with compounds in 5' dangling positions showed that all five compounds stack more strongly than thymine, and all the dihalo-substituted cases stack more strongly than the unsubstituted toluene case. Stacking correlated with surface area and hydrophobicity, both of which increase across the series. In base-pairing studies, all five compounds showed destabilized pairing opposite natural bases (relative to thymine-adenine pairing), as expected. Notably, pairing among the nonpolar base analogues was considerably more stable, and some of the pairs involving the largest analogues showed stability equal to that of a natural thymine-adenine pair. The results establish the base pairing properties of a potentially useful new series of biochemical probes for DNA-protein interactions and also identify a set of new, stable hydrophobic base pairs for designed genetic pairing systems.     

A Pyrimidopyrimidine Janus‐AT Nucleoside with Improved Base‐Pairing Properties to both A and T within a DNA Duplex: The Stabilizing Effect of a Second Endocyclic Ring Nitrogen

Janus bases are heterocyclic nucleic acid base analogs that present two different faces able to simultaneously hydrogen bond to nucleosides that form Watson–Crick base pairs. The synthesis of a Janus‐AT nucleotide analogue, ^N J_AT , that has an additional endocyclic ring nitrogen and is thus more capable of efficiently discriminating T/A over G/C bases when base‐pairing in a standard duplex‐DNA context is described. Conversion to a phosphoramidite ultimately afforded incorporation into an oligonucleotide. In contrast to the first generation of carbocyclic Janus heterocycles, it remains in its unprotonated state at physiological pH and, therefore, forms very stable Watson–Crick base pairs with either A or T bases. Biophysical and computational methods indicate that ^N J_AT is an improved candidate for sequence‐specific genome targeting.     

Visualisation of inter loop tertiary base pairing and stacking interactions in an unusual slipped loop DNA structure

The conformation of an unusual slipped loop DNA structure exhibited by the sequence d(GAATTCCCGAATTC)₂ is determined using a combination of geometrical and molecular mechanics methods. This sequence is known to form a B-DNA-like duplex with the central non-complementary cytosines extruded into single stranded loop regions. The unusual feature is that the interior guanine does not pair with the cytosine across, instead, it pairs with the cytosine upstream by skipping two cytosines, leading to a slipped loop DNA structure with the loops staggered by two base pairs. The two loops, despite being very small, can fold across minor or major groove symmetrically or asymmetrically disposed, with one of the loop bases partially blocking the major or minor groove. Most interestingly, for certain conformations, the loop bases approach one another at close proximity so as to engage even in base pairing as well as base stacking interactions across the major groove. While such pairing and stacking are common in the tertiary folds of RNA, this is the first time that such an interaction is visualized in a DNA. This observation demonstrates that a W-C pair can readily be accomplished in a typical slipped loop structure postulated for DNA. Such tertiary loop interaction may prevent access to regulatory proteins across the major groove of the duplex DNA, thus providing a structure-function relation for the occurrence of slipped loop structure in DNA. Contribution no. 839 from this department     

C‐5 Propynyl Modifications Enhance the Mechanical Stability of DNA

Increased thermal or mechanical stability of DNA duplexes is desired for many applications in nanotechnology or ‐medicine where DNA is used as a programmable building block. Modifications of pyrimidine bases are known to enhance thermal stability and have the advantage of standard base‐pairing and easy integration during chemical DNA synthesis. Through single‐molecule force spectroscopy experiments with atomic force microscopy and the molecular force assay we investigated the effect of pyrimidines harboring C‐5 propynyl modifications on the mechanical stability of double‐stranded DNA. Utilizing these complementary techniques, we show that propynyl bases significantly increase the mechanical stability if the DNA is annealed at high temperature. In contrast, modified DNA complexes formed at room temperature and short incubation times display the same stability as non‐modified DNA duplexes.     

Unnatural Cytosine Bases Recognized as Thymines by DNA Polymerases by the Formation of the Watson–Crick Geometry

The emergence of unnatural DNA bases provides opportunities to demystify the mechanisms by which DNA polymerases faithfully decode chemical information on the template. It was previously shown that two unnatural cytosine bases (termed “M‐fC” and “I‐fC”), which are chemical labeling adducts of the epigenetic base 5‐formylcytosine, can induce C‐to‐T transition during DNA amplification. However, how DNA polymerases recognize such unnatural cytosine bases remains enigmatic. Herein, crystal structures of unnatural cytosine bases pairing to dA/dG in the KlenTaq polymerase‐host–guest complex system and pairing to dATP in the KlenTaq polymerase active site were determined. Both M‐fC and I‐fC base pair with dA/dATP, but not with dG, in a Watson–Crick geometry. This study reveals that the formation of the Watson–Crick geometry, which may be enabled by the A‐rule, is important for the recognition of unnatural cytosines.     

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.     

A 5'-cap for DNA probes binding RNA target strands

Detecting short RNA strands with high fidelity at any of the bases of their sequence, including the termini, can be challenging, since fraying, wobbling, and refolding all compete with canonical base pairing. We performed a search for 5'-substituents of oligodeoxynucleotides that increase base pairing fidelity at the terminus of duplexes with RNA target strands. From a total of over 70 caps, differing in stacking moiety and linker, a phosphodiester-linked sequence of the residues of L-prolinol, glycine, and oxolinic acid, dubbed ogOA, was identified as a 5'-cap that stabilizes any of the four canonical base pairs, with ΔT(m) values of up to +13.1 °C for an octamer. At the same time, the cap increases discrimination against any of the 12 possible terminal mismatches, including mismatches that are more stable than their perfectly matched counterparts in the control duplex, such as A:A. A probe with the cap also showed increased selectivity in the detection of two closely related microRNAs, let7c and let7a, with a ΔT(m) value of 9.2 °C. Melting curves also yielded thermodynamic data that shed light on the uniformity of molecular recognition in the sequence space of DNA:DNA and DNA:RNA duplexes. Hybridization probes with fidelity-enhancing caps should find applications in the individual and parallel detection of biologically active RNA species.