Solution structure by NMR and molecular dynamics of a duplex containing a guanine opposite a N-(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)formamide lesion.

One- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy has been used combined with molecular dynamics to determine the fine structure of the DNA duplex 5'-d(AGGAGCCACG).d(CGTGGFTCCT) where F is the N-(2-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)formamide residue which is a ring fragmentation product of thymine. The formamide deoxyribose exists as two isomers with respect to the orientation about the peptide bond. The two isomers (trans and cis) are observed in a ratio 3:2 in solution. For both species, the oligonucleotide adopts a globally B form structure although conformational changes are observed around the mismatch site. The formamide residue, whatever the isomer, is intrahelical and can pair with the guanine on the opposite strand with one hydrogen bond. For the cis isomer, the residue adopts a syn orientation and is able to form a second hydrogen bond with the guanine on the 5' side on the same strand. Off-resonance ROESY experiments have been used to investigate the chemical exchange observed at low temperature of the duplex. Conformational exchange has only been found for the oligonucleotide with the formamide residue in the trans conformation.