Open AccessCrystallization and X‐ray diffraction analysis of an `all‐locked' nucleic acid duplex derived from a tRNA Ser microhelix
Author(s) -
Behling Katja,
Eichert André,
Fürste Jens P.,
Betzel Christian,
Erdmann Volker A.,
Förster Charlotte
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta crystallographica section f
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1744-3091
DOI - 10.1107/s1744309109026281
Subject(s) - nucleic acid , nucleic acid structure , crystallization , rna , nuclease , chemistry , dna , crystallography , resolution (logic) , nucleic acid quantitation , biochemistry , organic chemistry , gene , artificial intelligence , computer science
Modified nucleic acids are of great interest with respect to their nuclease resistance and enhanced thermostability. In therapeutical and diagnostic applications, such molecules can substitute for labile natural nucleic acids that are targeted against particular diseases or applied in gene therapy. The so‐called `locked nucleic acids' contain modified sugar moieties such as 2′‐ O ,4′‐ C ‐methylene‐bridged β‐ d ‐ribofuranose and are known to be very stable nucleic acid derivatives. The structure of locked nucleic acids in single or multiple LNA‐substituted natural nucleic acids and in LNA–DNA or LNA–RNA heteroduplexes has been well investigated, but the X‐ray structure of an `all‐locked' nucleic acid double helix has not been described to date. Here, the crystallization and X‐ray diffraction data analysis of an `all‐locked' nucleic acid helix, which was designed as an LNA originating from a tRNA Ser microhelix RNA structure, is presented. The crystals belonged to space group C 2, with unit‐cell parameters a = 77.91, b = 40.74, c = 30.06 Å, β = 91.02°. A high‐resolution and a low‐resolution data set were recorded, with the high‐resolution data showing diffraction to 1.9 Å resolution. The crystals contained two double helices per asymmetric unit, with a Matthews coefficient of 2.48 Å 3 Da −1 and a solvent content of 66.49% for the merged data.