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Mean-field interactions between nucleic-acid-base dipoles can drive the formation of a double helix.

ABSTRACT: A proposed coarse-grained model of nucleic acids demonstrates that average interactions between base dipoles, together with chain connectivity and excluded-volume interactions, are sufficient to form double-helical structures of DNA and RNA molecules. Additionally, local interactions determine helix handedness and direction of strand packing. This result, and earlier research on reduced protein models, suggests that mean-field multipole-multipole interactions are the principal factors responsible for the formation of regular structure of biomolecules.

SUBMITTER: He Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3627500 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Mean-field interactions between nucleic-acid-base dipoles can drive the formation of a double helix.

He Yi Y Maciejczyk Maciej M Ołdziej Stanisław S Scheraga Harold A HA Liwo Adam A

Physical review letters 20130228 9

A proposed coarse-grained model of nucleic acids demonstrates that average interactions between base dipoles, together with chain connectivity and excluded-volume interactions, are sufficient to form double-helical structures of DNA and RNA molecules. Additionally, local interactions determine helix handedness and direction of strand packing. This result, and earlier research on reduced protein models, suggests that mean-field multipole-multipole interactions are the principal factors responsibl ...[more]

PMID: 23496746

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