Abstract
Annealing of single-stranded (ss) DNA rings of complementary base sequence gives rise to the so-called form V DNA which is characterized by a linking number of zero1. The similarity of the circular dichroism spectrum of form V DNA1 with that of the 1:1 mixture of the low salt (B-type) and the high salt (Z-type) form of poly(dG-dC) ⋅ poly(dG-dC)2,3 suggests that form V DNA might contain left-handed double-helical DNA of the Z-type. The discovery that the left-handed Z-form of poly(dG-dC) ṁ poly(dG-dC) induces a strong immune response4,5 has provided a novel means of searching for DNA of this particular conformation6. We therefore used antisera and monoclonal antibodies to Z-DNA to determine whether form V DNA contains stretches of left-handed double-helical conformation. We report here that form V DNA competes in the binding of antibodies to Z-form poly(dG-dC) · poly(dG-dC). The competition by form V DNA is similar to that of (dG-dC)5·(dG-dC)5. Thus, DNA of natural base sequence, when forced to adopt left-handed conformations by topological restrictions, is recognized by antibodies against Z-DNA
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