A New Bias Site for Epigenetic Modifications: How Non‐Canonical GC Base Pairs Favor Mechanochemical Cleavage of DNA

Properties of non‐canonical GC base pairs and their relations with mechanochemical cleavage of DNA are analyzed. A hypothesis of the involvement of the transient GC wobble base pairs both in the mechanisms of the mechanochemical cleavage of DNA and epigenetic mechanisms involving of 5‐methylcytosine...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	BioEssays 2020-11, Vol.42 (11), p.e2000051-n/a
Main Authors:	Semyonov, Denis A., Eltsov, Ilia V., Nechipurenko, Yury D.
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	5‐methylcytosines Base pairs Cleavage CpG islands Cytosine Deoxyribonucleic acid DNA DNA methylation Epigenetics Hypotheses mechanochemical cleavage of DNAs molecular basis of epigenetics tautomers transient base pairs in DNAs wobble base pairs
Online Access:	Request full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	Properties of non‐canonical GC base pairs and their relations with mechanochemical cleavage of DNA are analyzed. A hypothesis of the involvement of the transient GC wobble base pairs both in the mechanisms of the mechanochemical cleavage of DNA and epigenetic mechanisms involving of 5‐methylcytosine, is proposed. The hypothesis explains the increase in the frequency of the breaks of the sugar‐phosphate backbone of DNA after cytosines, the asymmetric character of these breaks, and an increase in break frequency in CpG after cytosine methylation. As an alternative hypothesis, probable implication of GC+ Hoogsteen base pairs is considered, which now exemplify the best‐studied non‐canonical GC base pairs in the DNA double helix. Also see the video here https://youtu.be/EUunVWL0ptw. Cytosine methylation can contribute to the formation of the imino tautomer. Tautomerization or protonation of cytosine makes the GC wobble base pairs possible. The GC wobble base pair in DNA has to possess asymmetrical sugar‐phosphate backbone. The ultrasound breaks the strained bond in the sugar‐phosphate backbone after deoxycytidine.
ISSN:	0265-9247 1521-1878