Infrared Spectroscopy of Nucleic Acids

Abstract

The review deals with infrared and Raman spectroscopic data for DNA, RNA, and their components and with the assignment of the infrared bands to the vibrations of individual bonds. An approach to a theoretical treatment of the normal vibrations of the nucleic acid skeleton is described. The applications of infrared spectroscopy to the study of the specificity of the interaction of the heterocyclic bases, the secondary structure of nucleic acids, and their interactions with proteins, metal ions, and certain biologically active substances is considered. The bibliography includes 218 references.