The sequence dependence of circular dichroism spectra of DNA duplexes

Abstract

The three satellite DNAs of Drosophila virilis, that approximate to poly d(CAAACTA)-poly d(TAGTTTG), poly d(TAAACTA)-poly d(TAGTTTA), poly d(CAAATTA)-poly d(TAATTTG), the satellite DNA of Drosophila melanogaster that approximates to poly d(AATAT)-poly d(ATATT), the synthetic DNA duplexes, poly dG-poly dC, poly d(AT)-poly d(AT), poly d(AAT)-poly d(ATT), poly d(AAC)-poly d(GTT), poly d(TAC)-poly d(GTA) and the block copolymer d(C15A15)-d(T15G15) all have circular dichroism spectra consistent with the propositions that they have the same molecular geometry in solution and that it is the kind and frequency of nucleotide triplet sequences that determines their spectral characteristics. Poly dA-poly dT is apparently an exception.