Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Differences in Electrostatic Potential Around DNA Fragments Containing Guanine and 8-oxo-Guanine

Journal Article · · Theoretical Chemistry Accounts, 117(2):291-296
hanges of electrostatic potential (EP) around the DNA molecule resulting from chemical modifications of nucleotides may play a role in enzymatic recognition of damaged sites. Effects of chemical modifications of nucleotides on the structure of DNA have been characterized through large scale density functional theory computations. Quantum mechanical structural optimizations of DNA fragments with three pairs of nucleotoides and accompanying counteractions were performed with a B3LYP exchange-correlation functional and 6-31G** basis sets. The “intact” DNA fragment contained guanine in the middle layer, while the “damaged” fragment had the guanine replaced with 8-oxo-guanine. The electrostatic potential around these DNA fragments was projected on a surface around the double helix. The 2D maps of EP of intact and damaged DNA fragments were analyzed to identify these modifications of EP that result from the occurrence of 8-oxo-guanine. It was found that distortions of the phosphate groups and displacements of the accompanying countercations are clearly reflected in the EP maps.
Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US), Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
901748
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-45790; 3687; KP1102020
Journal Information:
Theoretical Chemistry Accounts, 117(2):291-296, Journal Name: Theoretical Chemistry Accounts, 117(2):291-296 Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 117
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English