Oligonucleotides calculations

Essential for MD simulations of nucleic acids is a proper representation of the solvent environment. This typically requires the use of an explicit solvent representation that includes counterions. Examples exist of DNA simulations performed in the absence of counterions [24], but these are rare. In most cases neutralizing salt concentrations, in which only the number of counterions required to create an electrically neutral system are included, are used. In other cases excess salt is used, and both counterions and co-ions are included [30]. Though this approach should allow for systematic smdies of the influence of salt concentration on the properties of oligonucleotides, calculations have indicated that the time required for ion distributions around DNA to properly converge are on the order of 5 ns or more [31]. This requires that preparation of nucleic acid MD simulation systems include careful consideration of both solvent placement and the addition of ions. 

GenBank of the NCBI, NIH Non-canonical base pair database Nucleic Acid Database (NDB) Oligonucleotide calculation PseudoBase ... 

Dissolve a 5 -sulfhydryl-modified oligonucleotide in water or lOmM EDTA at a concentration of 0.05-25 pg/pi. Calculate the total nmoles of oligo present based upon its molecular weight. 

The DD-CSA cross-correlated relaxation, namely that between 13C-1H dipole and 31P-CSA, can also be used to determine backbone a and C angles in RNA [65]. The experiment requires oligonucleotides that are 13C-labeled in the sugar moiety. First, 1H-coupled, / - DQ//Q-II CP spectra are measured. DQ and ZQ spectra are obtained by linear combinations of four subspectra recorded for each q-increment. Then, the cross-relaxation rates are calculated from the peak intensity ratios of the doublets in the DQ and ZQ spectra. The observed cross-correlation rates depend on the relative orientations of CH dipoles with respect to the components of the 31P chemical shift tensor. As the components of the 31P chemical shift tensor in RNA are not known, the barium salt of diethyl phosphate was used as a model compound with the principal components values of -76 ppm, -16 ppm and 103 ppm, respectively [106]. Since the measured cross-correlation rates are a function of the angles / and e as well, these angles need to be determined independently using 3/(H, P) and 3/(C, P) coupling constants. 

In an oligonucleotide-drug hydrate complex, the appearance of a clathrate hydrate-like water structure prompt a molecular dynamics simulation (40). Again the results were only partially successful, prompting the statement, "The predictive value of simulation for use in analysis and interpretation of crystal hydrates remains to be established." However, recent molecular dynamics calculations have been more successful in simulating the water structure in Ae host lattice of a-cyclodextrin and P-cyclodextrin in the crystal structures of these hydrates (41.42). 

Recently, Pople et al. [16] and Gadre et al. [17,18] have realized nearly two orders of magnitude increase in the speed of ab initio EP calculations using the GAUSSIAN 92 [19] and INDMOL codes, respectively. This achievement will certainly open new areas for ab initio applications in the near future. Pople et al. tested the effectivity of their method on a large oligonucleotide molecule... 

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