Abstract
Branched DNA molecules (Holliday structures) are believed to be key intermediates in the process of homologous genetic recombination. However, despite the importance of such structures, their transient nature makes it difficult to analyze their physical properties. In an effort to evaluate several models for the geometry of such branched molecules, a stable, synthetic DNA four-way junction has been constructed. The geometry of the synthetic junction has been probed by gel electrophoresis, utilizing the fact that bent DNA molecules demonstrate reduced mobilities on polyacrylamide gels to an extent that varies with the degree of the bend angle. From the synthetic four-way junction, we have produced a set of molecules in which all combinations of two junction arms have been extended by 105 base-pairs. The electrophoretic mobilities of the extended junctions differ in a manner which indicates that the junction is not a completely flexible structure; nor is it tetrahedral or planar-tetragonal. Instead, the four strands that comprise the DNA four-way junction are structurally non-equivalent. The significance of these observations with regard to previous models for four-way junction geometry is discussed.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 711-719 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Molecular Biology |
| Volume | 198 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 20 1987 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Virology
Cite this
Gel electrophoretic analysis of the geometry of a DNA four-way junction. / Cooper, Julia Promisel; Hagerman, Paul J.
In: Journal of Molecular Biology, Vol. 198, No. 4, 20.12.1987, p. 711-719.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Gel electrophoretic analysis of the geometry of a DNA four-way junction
AU - Cooper, Julia Promisel
AU - Hagerman, Paul J
PY - 1987/12/20
Y1 - 1987/12/20
N2 - Branched DNA molecules (Holliday structures) are believed to be key intermediates in the process of homologous genetic recombination. However, despite the importance of such structures, their transient nature makes it difficult to analyze their physical properties. In an effort to evaluate several models for the geometry of such branched molecules, a stable, synthetic DNA four-way junction has been constructed. The geometry of the synthetic junction has been probed by gel electrophoresis, utilizing the fact that bent DNA molecules demonstrate reduced mobilities on polyacrylamide gels to an extent that varies with the degree of the bend angle. From the synthetic four-way junction, we have produced a set of molecules in which all combinations of two junction arms have been extended by 105 base-pairs. The electrophoretic mobilities of the extended junctions differ in a manner which indicates that the junction is not a completely flexible structure; nor is it tetrahedral or planar-tetragonal. Instead, the four strands that comprise the DNA four-way junction are structurally non-equivalent. The significance of these observations with regard to previous models for four-way junction geometry is discussed.
AB - Branched DNA molecules (Holliday structures) are believed to be key intermediates in the process of homologous genetic recombination. However, despite the importance of such structures, their transient nature makes it difficult to analyze their physical properties. In an effort to evaluate several models for the geometry of such branched molecules, a stable, synthetic DNA four-way junction has been constructed. The geometry of the synthetic junction has been probed by gel electrophoresis, utilizing the fact that bent DNA molecules demonstrate reduced mobilities on polyacrylamide gels to an extent that varies with the degree of the bend angle. From the synthetic four-way junction, we have produced a set of molecules in which all combinations of two junction arms have been extended by 105 base-pairs. The electrophoretic mobilities of the extended junctions differ in a manner which indicates that the junction is not a completely flexible structure; nor is it tetrahedral or planar-tetragonal. Instead, the four strands that comprise the DNA four-way junction are structurally non-equivalent. The significance of these observations with regard to previous models for four-way junction geometry is discussed.
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U2 - 10.1016/0022-2836(87)90212-9
DO - 10.1016/0022-2836(87)90212-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 2828644
AN - SCOPUS:0023551842
VL - 198
SP - 711
EP - 719
JO - Journal of Molecular Biology
JF - Journal of Molecular Biology
SN - 0022-2836
IS - 4
ER -