Question

Write the characteristic feature of DNA.

Answer 1

1. If one strand runs in the 5′ – 3′ direction, the other runs in 3′ – 5′ direction and thus are antiparallel (they run in the opposite direction). The 5′ end has the phosphate group and 3’ end has the OH group.
2. The angle at which the two sugars protrude from the base pairs is about 120°, for the narrow-angle and 240° for the wide-angle. The narrow-angle between the sugars generates a minor groove and the large angle on the other edge generates a major groove.
3. Each base is 0.34 nm apart and a complete turn of the helix comprises 3.4 nm or 10 base pairs per turn in the predominant B form of DNA.
4. DNA helical structure has a diameter of 20 Å and a pitch of about 3 Å. X-ray crystal study of DNA takes a stack of about 10 bp to go completely around the helix (360°).
5. Thermodynamic stability of the helix and specificity of base pairing includes
   • The hydrogen bonds between the complementary bases of the double helix
   • stacking interaction between bases tend to stack about each other perpendicular to the direction of the helical axis.
6. Electron cloud interactions (II−II) between the bases in the helical stacks contribute to the stability of the double helix.
7. The phosphodiester linkages give an inherent polarity to the DNA helix. They form strong covalent bonds, gives strength and stability to the polynucleotide chain.
8. Plectonemic coiling – the two strands of the DNA are wrapped around each other in a helix, making it impossible to simply move them apart without breaking the entire structure. Whereas in paranemic coiling the two strands simply lie alongside one another, making them easier to pull apart.
9. Based on the helix and the distance between each turn, the DNA is of three forms – A DNA, B DNA and Z DNA.