Stabilizing Factors in Quadruplexes

The bases in DNA are non-polar in nature and have unfavorable interactions with polar solvents. Paired bases will then associate and stack on each other in order to reduce the area exposed to the solvent. Stability is then provided to the 

DNA a global buckle and bend required in the packaging of DNA around the histone, or other protein scaffolds. 

The quadruplexes, similar to duplex DNA have grooves contain a network of water molecules ordered about hydrogen bonding donors and acceptors, the exocyclic amino groups N2, and heterocyclic N3 atoms for quadruplexes. The 

4-fold symmetry seen in the parallel stranded quadruplexes is reflected in the symmetric hydration structure seen in the four grooves formed by the stacked 

Parallel stranded quadruplex stacked repeat with anti-glycosidic torsion angles 

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