Modeling A Strand Exchange Tetraplex Conformation

Abstract

Molecular modeling had been used to study the conformation and the energetics of 4-stranded DNA complexes formed by strand exchange between two duplexes. Both isolated strand exchange tetraplexes (SET's) and duplex-tetraplex complexes are found to be stable. Hydrogen bonding between the major groove faces of the base pairs within each base tetrad is shown to be specific, allowing tetrad formation only between DNA duplexes having identical base sequences. Such structures can explain the recent experimental observations of Gaillard and Strauss concerning the complexation of two DNA containing poly(dCA) tracts and may be of relevance to genetic recombination mechanisms.