Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-2-2024

Published In

Molecules

Abstract

DNA requires hydration to maintain its structural integrity. Crystallographic analyses have enabled patterns of water arrangements to be visualized. We survey these water motifs in this review, focusing on left- and right-handed duplex and quadruplex DNAs, together with the i-motif. Common patterns of linear spines of water organization in grooves have been identified and are widely prevalent in right-handed duplexes and quadruplexes. By contrast, a left-handed quadruplex has a distinctive wheel of hydration populating the almost completely circular single groove in this structure.

Keywords

left- and right-handed DNAs, quadruplex DNAs, crystal structures, water networks, spine of hydration, wheel of hydration

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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