Chemical detection of Z-DNA within the maize Adh1 promoter.

Z-DNA is a left-handed helix which can form within tracts of alternating purines and pyrimidines. Tracts of potential Z-DNA identified by sequence inspection are often noted within regulatory portions of genes, but evidence that these tracts of sequence actually exist as Z-DNA is very limited, and not available for any plant gene. In this study, the chemical probes osmium tetroxide, diethylpyrocarbonate and hydroxylamine were used to show that a tract of alternating purines and pyrimidines in the Adh1 promoter (from -311 to -325) actually assumes a Z-DNA conformation under superhelical stress in vitro.