2PL8

D(GTATACC) under hydrostatic pressure of 1.04 GPa

Summary for 2PL8

• Entry DOI: 10.2210/pdb2pl8/pdb
• Related: 115D 1VJ4 2PKV 2PL4 2PLB 2PLO
• Descriptor: 5'-D(*DGP*DGP*DTP*DAP*DTP*DAP*DCP*DC)-3', SPERMINE (3 entities in total)
• Functional Keywords: dna, high-pressure
• Total number of polymer chains: 2
• Total formula weight: 5055.57

Authors

Prange, T.,Girard, E.,Fourme, R.,Kahn, R. (deposition date: 2007-04-19, release date: 2007-07-24, Last modification date: 2023-08-30)

Primary citation

Girard, E.,Prange, T.,Dhaussy, A.C.,Migianu-Griffoni, E.,Lecouvey, M.,Chervin, J.C.,Mezouar, M.,Kahn, R.,Fourme, R.
Adaptation of the base-paired double-helix molecular architecture to extreme pressure.
Nucleic Acids Res., 35:4800-4808, 2007

PubMed Abstract: The behaviour of the d(GGTATACC) oligonucleotide has been investigated by X-ray crystallography at 295 K in the range from ambient pressure to 2 GPa (approximately 20,000 atm). Four 3D-structures of the A-DNA form (at ambient pressure, 0.55, 1.09 and 1.39 GPa) were refined at 1.60 or 1.65 A resolution. In addition to the diffraction pattern of the A-form, the broad meridional streaks previously explained by occluded B-DNA octamers within the channels of the crystalline A-form matrix were observed up to at least 2 GPa. This work highlights an important property of nucleic acids, their capability to withstand very high pressures, while keeping in such conditions a nearly invariant geometry of base pairs that store and carry genetic information. The double-helix base-paired architecture behaves as a molecular spring, which makes it especially adapted to very harsh conditions. These features may have contributed to the emergence of a RNA World at prebiotic stage.

PubMed: 17617642
DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkm511

Experimental method

X-RAY DIFFRACTION (1.65 Å)