
Base stacking and molecular polarizability: effect of a methyl group in the 5-position of pyrimidines.
Publication
, Journal Article
Sowers, LC; Shaw, BR; Sedwick, WD
Published in: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
October 1987
Substitution of a methyl group in the 5-position of pyrimidines increases melting temperatures and modifies biological properties of DNA. Increased DNA stability is often attributed to hydrophobic interactions between water and the methyl group. However, we present evidence that the major effect of methyl substitution is to increase the molecular polarizability of the pyrimidine, thereby increasing the base stacking. Experimentally determined base stacking interaction constants for free bases in water are shown to correlate well with calculated molecular polarizability and DNA melting temperatures.
Duke Scholars
Published In
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
DOI
EISSN
1090-2104
ISSN
0006-291X
Publication Date
October 1987
Volume
148
Issue
2
Start / End Page
790 / 794
Related Subject Headings
- Structure-Activity Relationship
- Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
- Solubility
- Pyrimidines
- Nucleic Acid Conformation
- Methylation
- DNA
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Adenine
- 1101 Medical Biochemistry and Metabolomics
Citation
APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Sowers, L. C., Shaw, B. R., & Sedwick, W. D. (1987). Base stacking and molecular polarizability: effect of a methyl group in the 5-position of pyrimidines. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 148(2), 790–794. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-291x(87)90945-4
Sowers, L. C., B. R. Shaw, and W. D. Sedwick. “Base stacking and molecular polarizability: effect of a methyl group in the 5-position of pyrimidines.” Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 148, no. 2 (October 1987): 790–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-291x(87)90945-4.
Sowers LC, Shaw BR, Sedwick WD. Base stacking and molecular polarizability: effect of a methyl group in the 5-position of pyrimidines. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 1987 Oct;148(2):790–4.
Sowers, L. C., et al. “Base stacking and molecular polarizability: effect of a methyl group in the 5-position of pyrimidines.” Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, vol. 148, no. 2, Oct. 1987, pp. 790–94. Epmc, doi:10.1016/0006-291x(87)90945-4.
Sowers LC, Shaw BR, Sedwick WD. Base stacking and molecular polarizability: effect of a methyl group in the 5-position of pyrimidines. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 1987 Oct;148(2):790–794.

Published In
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
DOI
EISSN
1090-2104
ISSN
0006-291X
Publication Date
October 1987
Volume
148
Issue
2
Start / End Page
790 / 794
Related Subject Headings
- Structure-Activity Relationship
- Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
- Solubility
- Pyrimidines
- Nucleic Acid Conformation
- Methylation
- DNA
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Adenine
- 1101 Medical Biochemistry and Metabolomics