Stability Of Base Pairs Research Articles

Dimerization of Nucleic Acid Hairpins in the Conditions Caused by Neutral Cosolutes

Characterization of metal ion binding to RNA and DNA base pairs is important for understanding their energy contribution to the folding and conformational changes of nucleic acid structures. In this study, we examine the equilibrium shift from the hairpin toward the dimer formation, induced by nonspecifically bound metal ions. The hairpin dimerization is markedly enhanced in the presence of high background concentrations of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and several small organic molecules. The simple volume exclusion effect and the base pair stability cannot entirely account for this increase. We find that the dielectric constant correlates well with the dimerization efficiency in the conditions caused by small alcohol molecules and amide compounds as well as PEG. The hairpin dimerization experiments reveal the potential of PEG for enhancing the binding affinity between nucleic acids and metal ions, by reducing the solution dielectric constant without decreasing the thermodynamic stability of nucleic acid structures. The results presented here contribute to the understanding of nucleic acid folding and its ability to switch between alternative conformations under the condition of limited cation availability and cellular physiology.

Contribution of Partial Charge Interactions and Base Stacking to the Efficiency of Primer Extension at and beyond Abasic Sites in DNA

During DNA synthesis, base stacking and Watson-Crick (WC) hydrogen bonding increase the stability of nascent base pairs when they are in a ternary complex. To evaluate the contribution of base stacking to the incorporation efficiency of dNTPs when a DNA polymerase encounters an abasic site, we varied the penultimate base pairs (PBs) adjacent to the abasic site using all 16 possible combinations. We then determined pre-steady-state kinetic parameters with an RB69 DNA polymerase variant and solved nine structures of the corresponding ternary complexes. The efficiency of incorporation for incoming dNTPs opposite an abasic site varied between 2- and 210-fold depending on the identity of the PB. We propose that the A rule can be extended to encompass the fact that DNA polymerase can bypass dA/abasic sites more efficiently than other dN/abasic sites. Crystal structures of the ternary complexes show that the surface of the incoming base was stacked against the PB's interface and that the kinetic parameters for dNMP incorporation were consistent with specific features of base stacking, such as surface area and partial charge-charge interactions between the incoming base and the PB. Without a templating nucleotide residue, an incoming dNTP has no base with which it can hydrogen bond and cannot be desolvated, so that these surrounding water molecules become ordered and remain on the PB's surface in the ternary complex. When these water molecules are on top of a hydrophobic patch on the PB, they destabilize the ternary complex, and the incorporation efficiency of incoming dNTPs is reduced.

Duplex interrogation by a direct DNA repair protein in search of base damage

ALKBH2 is a direct DNA repair dioxygenase guarding mammalian genome against N1-methyladenine, N3-methylcytosine, and 1,N6-ethenoadenine damage. A prerequisite for repair is to identify these lesions in the genome. Here we present crystal structures of ALKBH2 bound to different duplex DNAs. Together with computational and biochemical analyses, our results suggest that DNA interrogation by ALKBH2 displays two novel features: i) ALKBH2 probes base-pair stability and detects base pairs with reduced stability; ii) ALKBH2 does not have nor need a “damage-checking site”, which is critical for preventing spurious base-cleavage for several glycosylases. The demethylation mechanism of ALKBH2 insures that only cognate lesions are oxidized and reversed to normal bases, and that a flipped, non-substrate base remains intact in the active site. Overall, the combination of duplex interrogation and oxidation chemistry allows ALKBH2 to detect and process diverse lesions efficiently and correctly.

Specific Domains in Yeast Translation Initiation Factor eIF4G Strongly Bias RNA Unwinding Activity of the eIF4F Complex toward Duplexes with 5′-Overhangs

During eukaryotic translation initiation, the 43 S ribosomal pre-initiation complex is recruited to the 5'-end of an mRNA through its interaction with the 7-methylguanosine cap, and it subsequently scans along the mRNA to locate the start codon. Both mRNA recruitment and scanning require the removal of secondary structure within the mRNA. Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A is an essential component of the translational machinery thought to participate in the clearing of secondary structural elements in the 5'-untranslated regions of mRNAs. eIF4A is part of the 5'-7-methylguanosine cap-binding complex, eIF4F, along with eIF4E, the cap-binding protein, and the scaffolding protein eIF4G. Here, we show that Saccharomyces cerevisiae eIF4F has a strong preference for unwinding an RNA duplex with a single-stranded 5'-overhang versus the same duplex with a 3'-overhang or without an overhang. In contrast, eIF4A on its own has little RNA substrate specificity. Using a series of deletion constructs of eIF4G, we demonstrate that its three previously elucidated RNA binding domains work together to provide eIF4F with its 5'-end specificity, both by promoting unwinding of substrates with 5'-overhangs and inhibiting unwinding of substrates with 3'-overhangs. Our data suggest that the RNA binding domains of eIF4G provide the S. cerevisiae eIF4F complex with a second mechanism, in addition to the eIF4E-cap interaction, for directing the binding of pre-initiation complexes to the 5'-ends of mRNAs and for biasing scanning in the 5' to 3' direction.

Individual Basepair Stability of DNA and RNA Studied by NMR-Detected Solvent Exchange

In this study, we have optimized NMR methodology to determine the thermodynamic parameters of basepair opening in DNA and RNA duplexes by characterizing the temperature dependence of imino proton exchange rates of individual basepairs. Contributions of the nuclear Overhauser effect to exchange rates measured with inversion recovery experiments are quantified, and the influence of intrinsic and external catalysis exchange mechanisms on the imino proton exchange rates is analyzed. Basepairs in DNA and RNA have an approximately equal stability, and the enthalpy and entropy values of their basepair dissociation are correlated linearly. Furthermore, the compensation temperature, Tc, which is derived from the slope of the correlation, coincides with the melting temperature, and duplex unfolding occurs at that temperature where all basepairs are equally thermodynamically stable. The impact of protium-deuterium exchange of the imino hydrogen on the free energy of RNA basepair opening is investigated, and it is found that two A·U basepairs show distinct fractionation factors.

Base-Pairing Versatility Determines Wobble Sites in tRNA Anticodons of Vertebrate Mitogenomes

BackgroundVertebrate mitochondrial genomes typically have one transfer RNA (tRNA) for each synonymous codon family. This limited anticodon repertoire implies that each tRNA anticodon needs to wobble (establish a non-Watson-Crick base pairing between two nucleotides in RNA molecules) to recognize one or more synonymous codons. Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain the factors that determine the nucleotide composition of wobble sites in vertebrate mitochondrial tRNA anticodons. Until now, the two major postulates – the “codon-anticodon adaptation hypothesis” and the “wobble versatility hypothesis” – have not been formally tested in vertebrate mitochondria because both make the same predictions regarding the composition of anticodon wobble sites. The same is true for the more recent “wobble cost hypothesis”.Principal FindingsIn this study we have analyzed the occurrence of synonymous codons and tRNA anticodon wobble sites in 1553 complete vertebrate mitochondrial genomes, focusing on three fish species with mtDNA codon usage bias reversal (L-strand is GT-rich). These mitogenomes constitute an excellent opportunity to study the evolution of the wobble nucleotide composition of tRNA anticodons because due to the reversal the predictions for the anticodon wobble sites differ between the existing hypotheses. We observed that none of the wobble sites of tRNA anticodons in these unusual mitochondrial genomes coevolved to match the new overall codon usage bias, suggesting that nucleotides at the wobble sites of tRNA anticodons in vertebrate mitochondrial genomes are determined by wobble versatility.Conclusions/SignificanceOur results suggest that, at wobble sites of tRNA anticodons in vertebrate mitogenomes, selection favors the most versatile nucleotide in terms of wobble base-pairing stability and that wobble site composition is not influenced by codon usage. These results are in agreement with the “wobble versatility hypothesis”.

Two distinct overstretched DNA structures revealed by single-molecule thermodynamics measurements

Double-stranded DNA is a dynamic molecule whose structure can change depending on conditions. While there is consensus in the literature about many structures DNA can have, the state of highly-stretched DNA is still not clear. Several groups have shown that DNA in the torsion-unconstrained B-form undergoes an "overstretching" transition at a stretching force of around 65pN, which leads to approximately 1.7-fold elongation of the DNA contour length. Recent experiments have revealed that two distinct structural transitions are involved in the overstretching process: (i) a hysteretic "peeling" off one strand from its complementary strand, and (ii) a nonhysteretic transition that leads to an undetermined DNA structure. We report the first simultaneous determination of the entropy (ΔS) and enthalpy changes (ΔH) pertaining to these respective transitions. For the hysteretic peeling transition, we determined ΔS∼20cal/(K.mol) and ΔH∼7kcal/mol. In the case of the nonhysteretic transition, ΔS∼-3cal/(K.mol) and ΔH∼1kcal/mol. Furthermore, the response of the transition force to salt concentration implies that the two DNA strands are spatially separated after the hysteretic peeling transition. In contrast, the corresponding response after the nonhysteretic transition indicated that the strands remained in close proximity. The selection between the two transitions depends on DNA base-pair stability, and it can be illustrated by a multidimensional phase diagram. Our results provide important insights into the thermodynamics of DNA overstretching and conformational structures of overstretched DNA that may play an important role in vivo.

Halogen Bonding in DNA Base Pairs

Halogen bonding (R-X···Y) is a qualitative analogue of hydrogen bonding that may prove useful in the rational design of artificial proteins and nucleotides. We explore halogen-bonded DNA base pairs containing modified guanine, cytosine, adenine and thymine nucleosides. The structures and stabilities of the halogenated systems are compared to the normal hydrogen bonded base pairs. In most cases, energetically stable, coplanar structures are identified. In the most favorable cases, halogenated base pair stabilities are within 2 kcal mol(-1) of the hydrogen bonded analogues. Among the halogens X = Cl, Br, and I, bromine is best suited for inclusion in these biological systems because it possesses the best combination of polarizability and steric suitability. We find that the most stable structures result from a single substitution of a hydrogen bond for a halogen bond in dA:dT and dG:dC base pairs, which allows 1 or 2 hydrogen bonds, respectively, to complement the halogen bond.

Synthesis and Incorporation into Oligodeoxynucleotides of Carbocyclic exo-Amino Nucleosides

The preparation of a series of carbocyclic exo-amino nucleosides from selected primary aromatic amines in both the C1′ α- and β-epimeric form as well as the corresponding building blocks for DNA synthesis is described. These nucleosides were incorporated into oligodeoxynucleotides and their base-pairing properties with natural bases and, in part, with themselves investigated. The results obtained confirm that such nucleoside analogues engage in specific interactions with natural nucleotides in DNA duplexes. In addition they can form self-pairs that match or exceed the stability of Watson-Crick base-pairs. Thus, carbocyclic exo-amino nucleosides can be taken into consideration in the design of novel base-pairs for the extension of the genetic alphabet, or for other applications in biotechnology. 1 Introduction 2 Synthetic Routes 2.1 Synthesis of Carbocyclic exo-Amino Nucleosides and Building Blocks 2.2 Synthesis of Oligonucleotides 3 Pairing Properties of Oligonucleotides 4 Discussion and Conclusions

Thermodynamic Control of Small RNA-Mediated Gene Silencing.

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of posttranscriptional gene silencing, which is referred to as RNA interference (RNAi) or RNA silencing. In RNAi, siRNA loaded onto the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) downreugulates target gene expression by cleaving mRNA whose sequence is perfectly complementary to the siRNA guide strand. We previously showed that highly functional siRNAs possessed the following characteristics: A or U residues at nucleotide position 1 measured from the 5′ terminal, four to seven A/Us in positions 1–7, and G or C residues at position 19. This finding indicated that an RNA strand with a thermodynamically unstable 5′ terminal is easily retained in the RISC and functions as a guide strand. In addition, it is clear that unintended genes with complementarities only in the seed region (positions 2–8) are also downregulated by off-target effects. siRNA efficiency is mainly determined by the Watson–Crick base-pairing stability formed between the siRNA seed region and target mRNA. siRNAs with a low seed-target duplex melting temperature (Tm) have little or no seed-dependent off-target activity. Thus, important parts of the RNA silencing machinery may be regulated by nucleotide base-pairing thermodynamic stability. A mechanistic understanding of thermodynamic control may enable an efficient target gene-specific RNAi for functional genomics and safe therapeutic applications.

Parallel-stranded DNA: Enhancing duplex stability by the ‘G-clamp’ and a pyrrolo-dC derivative

The new pyrrolo-dC derivative 4 tethered with an alkylamino side chain via a triazole linker was synthesized. Oligonucleotides containing the G-clamp 3 or the pyrrolo-dC derivative 4 were prepared. Oligonucleotide synthesis and deprotection under standard conditions led to unwanted side product formation. The side product was identified as an acrylonitrile adduct of the aminoalkyl side chain. Changing the synthesis and work-up conditions to fast-deprotection chemistry and performing β-elimination of the cyanoethyl group on the solid support yielded pure oligonucleotides. Oligonucleotide duplexes with parallel chain orientation were constructed incorporating dA·dT and isoG(d)·dC base pairs. Replacement of dC-residues by the G-clamp 3 led to extraordinarily stable duplexes (ΔT(m) = +11 °C for two incorporations) in ps DNA, while the pyrrolo-dC derivative 4 behaved like dC. Surprisingly, the G-clamp 3 forms an even more stable base pair with 2'-deoxyisoguanosine in DNA with parallel chain orientation than with 2'-deoxyguanosine in aps DNA.

Influence of Mg2+ on the Guanine–Cytosine Tautomeric Equilibrium: Simulations of the Induced Intermolecular Proton Transfer

Metallic ions are essential for stabilizing the nucleic acid structure, and are also involved in the majority of RNA and DNA biological functions. However, at large concentrations metals may play an opposite role by promoting alterations in the genetic code (mutagenicity). To contribute to the understanding of this effect, theoretical tools are used to investigate the influence of the magnesium dication on the guanine-cytosine (GC) base pair structure and stability. To this end, a fully hydrated Mg(2+) cation is inserted in two models: an isolated GC base pair, and a more realistic DNA model corresponding to a hydrated double-stranded trimer. Calculations performed with a hybrid ONIOM approach reveal that the Mg(2+) cation coordination to the GC base pair alters drastically the natural tautomeric equilibria in DNA by promoting single proton transfer. Nevertheless, the generated rare tautomer will have a limited impact on the total spontaneous mutation due to the low back-reaction barrier allowing a quick return to the canonical form. Additionally, it is demonstrated that the major effects of biological environment arise from the hydration and stacking influence, whereas the impact of phosphate groups is minor.

Silver(I)-mediated Hoogsteen-type base pairs

Metal-mediated Hoogsteen-type base pairs are useful for the construction of DNA duplexes containing contiguous stretches of metal ions along the helical axis. To fine-tune the stability of such base pairs and the selectivity toward different metal ions, the availability of a selection of artificial nucleobases is highly desirable. In this study, we follow a theoretical approach utilizing dispersion-corrected density functional methods to evaluate a variety of artificial nucleobases as candidates for metal-mediated Hoogsteen-type base pairs. We focus on silver(I)-mediated Hoogsteen- and reverse Hoogsteen-type base pairs formed between 1-deaza- and 1,3-dideazapurine-derived nucleobases, respectively, and cytosine. Apart from two coordinative bonds, these base pairs are stabilized by a hydrogen bond. We elucidate the impact of different substituents at the C6 position and the presence or absence of an endocyclic N3 nitrogen atom on the overall stability of a base pair and concomitantly on the strength of the hydrogen and coordinative bonds. All artificial base pairs investigated in this study are less stable than the experimentally established benchmark base pair C–Ag +–G. The base pair formed from 1,3-dideaza-6-methoxypurine is isoenergetic to the experimentally observed C–Ag +–C base pair. This makes 1,3-dideaza-6-methoxypurine a promising candidate for the use as an artificial nucleobase in DNA.

Revisiting the Effects of Sequence and Structure on the Hydrogen Bonding and π-Stacking Interactions in Nucleic Acids

Calculated electron densities from PBE0/6-31+G(d,p) were analyzed with respect to the hydrogen bonding within a nucleic acid base pair and the π-stacking between sets of base pairs. From published X-ray crystallographic data, base pairs were isolated from a total of 11 DNA and RNA duplexes, and their experimental geometry was maintained throughout the analyses. Focusing solely on Watson-Crick base pairs, from the values of the electron density between interacting nuclei (at the bond critical points), we provide quantitative data on individual weak interactions. For hydrogen bonding, in addition to quantifying the scissoring effect in GC base pairs, the origin of the controversy around the relative stability of AT and AU base pairs is identified and resolved. Thus, it is illustrated how the conclusion as to their relative stability rests on the specific choice of oligonucleotides compared. For π-stacking, sequence effects for tandem AT base pairs are captured, quantified, and explained, and the greater sensitivity of GC, over AT, sequences to the rise parameter is established. The results presented here show that, from experimental geometries and their electron densities, previously determined effects of the sequence and structure of a duplex on the stabilizing interactions can be captured, quantified, and traced back to the geometry of the base pairs.

Synthesis and photophysical properties of novel push–pull-type solvatochromic 7-deaza-2′-deoxypurine nucleosides

We have synthesized two novel push–pull-type fluorescent 7-deazapurine nucleosides, CNZA and CNZG , and investigated their photophysical properties. In particular, CNZA was found to exhibit a remarkable solvatofluorochromicity (Δ λ fl.max = 60 nm). We incorporated CNZA into oligonucleotides and found that CNZA can form a stable base pair with both thymine and cytosine. Such environmentally sensitive fluorescent nucleosides have a potential as a fluorescence sensor for structural studies of nucleic acids.

Enhanced Base-Pair Opening in the Adenine Tract of a RNA Double Helix

Proton exchange and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy are being used to characterize the kinetics and energetics of base-pair opening in two nucleic acid double helices. One is the RNA duplex 5'-r(GCGAUAAAAAGGCC)-3'/5'-r(GGCCUUUUUAUCGC)-3', which contains a central tract of five AU base pairs. The other is the homologous DNA duplex with a central tract of five AT base pairs. The rates and the equilibrium constants of the opening reaction of each base pair are measured from the dependence of the exchange rates of imino protons on ammonia concentration, at 10 °C. The results reveal that the tract of AU base pairs in the RNA duplex differs from the homologous tract of AT base pairs in DNA in several ways. The rates of opening of AU base pairs in RNA are high and increase progressively along the tract, reaching their largest values at the 3'-end of the tract. In contrast, the opening rates of AT base pairs in DNA are much lower than those of AU base pairs. Within the tract, the largest opening rate is observed for the AT base pair at the 5'-end of the tract. These differences in opening kinetics are paralleled by differences in the stabilities of individual base pairs. All AU base pairs in the RNA are less stable than the AT base pairs in the DNA. The presence of the tract enhances these differences by increasing the stability of AT base pairs in DNA while decreasing the stability of AU base pairs in RNA. Due to these divergent trends, along the tracts, the AU base pairs become progressively less stable than AT base pairs. These findings demonstrate that tracts of AU base pairs in RNA have specific dynamic and energetic signatures that distinguish them from similar tracts of AT base pairs in DNA.

Unique active site promotes error-free replication opposite an 8-oxo-guanine lesion by human DNA polymerase iota

The 8-oxo-guanine (8-oxo-G) lesion is the most abundant and mutagenic oxidative DNA damage existing in the genome. Due to its dual coding nature, 8-oxo-G causes most DNA polymerases to misincorporate adenine. Human Y-family DNA polymerase iota (polι) preferentially incorporates the correct cytosine nucleotide opposite 8-oxo-G. This unique specificity may contribute to polι’s biological role in cellular protection against oxidative stress. However, the structural basis of this preferential cytosine incorporation is currently unknown. Here we present four crystal structures of polι in complex with DNA containing an 8-oxo-G lesion, paired with correct dCTP or incorrect dATP, dGTP, and dTTP nucleotides. An exceptionally narrow polι active site restricts the purine bases in a syn conformation, which prevents the dual coding properties of 8-oxo-G by inhibiting syn/anti conformational equilibrium. More importantly, the 8-oxo-G base in a syn conformation is not mutagenic in polι because its Hoogsteen edge does not form a stable base pair with dATP in the narrow active site. Instead, the syn 8-oxo-G template base forms the most stable replicating base pair with correct dCTP due to its small pyrimidine base size and enhanced hydrogen bonding with the Hoogsteen edge of 8-oxo-G. In combination with site directed mutagenesis, we show that Gln59 in the finger domain specifically interacts with the additional O 8 atom of the lesion base, which influences nucleotide selection, enzymatic efficiency, and replication stalling at the lesion site. Our work provides the structural mechanism of high-fidelity 8-oxo-G replication by a human DNA polymerase.

Biochemical behavior of N-oxidized cytosine and adenine bases in DNA polymerase-mediated primer extension reactions

To clarify the biochemical behavior of 2′-deoxyribonucleoside 5′-triphosphates and oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs) containing cytosine N-oxide (Co) and adenine N-oxide (Ao), we examined their base recognition ability in DNA duplex formation using melting temperature (Tm) experiments and their substrate specificity in DNA polymerase-mediated replication. As the result, it was found that the Tm values of modified DNA–DNA duplexes incorporating 2′-deoxyribonucleoside N-oxide derivatives significantly decreased compared with those of the unmodified duplexes. However, single insertion reactions by DNA polymerases of Klenow fragment (KF) (exo−) and Vent (exo−) suggested that Co and Ao selectively recognized G and T, respectively. Meanwhile, the kinetic study showed that the incorporation efficiencies of the modified bases were lower than those of natural bases. Ab initio calculations suggest that these modified bases can form the stable base pairs with the original complementary bases. These results indicate that the modified bases usually recognize the original bases as partners for base pairing, except for misrecognition of dATP by the action of KF (exo−) toward Ao on the template, and the primers could be extended on the template DNA. When they misrecognized wrong bases, the chain could not be elongated so that the modified base served as the chain terminator.

Substitution of active site tyrosines with tryptophan alters the free energy for nucleotide flipping by human alkyladenine DNA glycosylase.

Human alkyladenine DNA glycosylase (AAG) locates and excises a wide variety of structurally diverse alkylated and oxidized purine lesions from DNA to initiate the base excision repair pathway. Recognition of a base lesion requires flipping of the damaged nucleotide into a relatively open active site pocket between two conserved tyrosine residues, Y127 and Y159. We have mutated each of these amino acids to tryptophan and measured the kinetic effects on the nucleotide flipping and base excision steps. The Y127W and Y159W mutant proteins have robust glycosylase activity toward DNA containing 1,N(6)-ethenoadenine (εA), within 4-fold of that of the wild-type enzyme, raising the possibility that tryptophan fluorescence could be used to probe the DNA binding and nucleotide flipping steps. Stopped-flow fluorescence was used to compare the time-dependent changes in tryptophan fluorescence and εA fluorescence. For both mutants, the tryptophan fluorescence exhibited two-step binding with essentially identical rate constants as were observed for the εA fluorescence changes. These results provide evidence that AAG forms an initial recognition complex in which the active site pocket is perturbed and the stacking of the damaged base is disrupted. Upon complete nucleotide flipping, there is further quenching of the tryptophan fluorescence with coincident quenching of the εA fluorescence. Although these mutations do not have large effects on the rate constant for excision of εA, there are dramatic effects on the rate constants for nucleotide flipping that result in 40-100-fold decreases in the flipping equilibrium relative to wild-type. Most of this effect is due to an increased rate of unflipping, but surprisingly the Y159W mutation causes a 5-fold increase in the rate constant for flipping. The large effect on the equilibrium for nucleotide flipping explains the greater deleterious effects that these mutations have on the glycosylase activity toward base lesions that are in more stable base pairs.

Probing DNA Stiffness with Magnetic Tweezers

The exceptional stiffness of DNA is routinely attributed to base stacking and repulsion between neighboring, negatively charged phosphates. Furthermore, well established biochemistry and recent single molecule experiments show that small, charged molecules and intercalating agents can dramatically alter the pitch and twist of the double helix. It is very likely that cells and macromolecular complexes have evolved to influence these phenomena in order to alter the flexibility of DNA to efficiently catalyze DNA transactions. In order to gain insight into how cells manipulate DNA efficiently, a quantitative understanding of DNA elasticity is necessary. Using magnetic tweezers to twist and stretch single DNA molecules, experiments were performed to probe the parameters of DNA stiffness. Although this technique is exquisitely sensitive and permits broad exploration of twist versus extension data, accurate models with which to interpret the stiffness parameters are critical. In particular, the knee point of the DNA extension versus twist curve, which is sensitive to both the bending and torsional rigidity of the molecule, is a signature, which if modeled accurately might give insight into how base stacking and electrostatics contribute to DNA stiffness. Our experiments showed that diaminopurine substitution for adenine, which adds an additional hydrogen bond to AT base pairs, stiffens DNA by about 50% without significantly changing the knee point. Instead adding low molecular weight polycations such as spermine or spermidine to the solution appeared to soften DNA and promote plectoneme formation at lower values of torsion. Thus base pair stability and, implicitly, stacking seem to have affected only the DNA elasticity while charge neutralization also favored the conversion of excess twist into writhe.