We describe a novel, fundamental property of nucleobase structure, namely, pyramidilization at the N1/9 sites of purine and pyrimidine bases. Through a combined analyses of ultra-high-resolution X-ray structures of both oligonucleotides extracted from the Nucleic Acid Database and isolated nucleotides and nucleosides from the Cambridge Structural Database, together with a series of quantum chem...

A fluoroorotic acid (FOA)-resistant mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana was isolated by screening M2 populations of ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS)-mutagenized Columbia seed. FOA resistance was due to a nuclear recessive gene, for1-1, which locates to a 519 kb region in chromosome 5. Assays of key regulatory enzymes in de novo pyrimidine synthesis (uridine monophosphate synthase) and salvage biochemi...

Oligonucleotides (ONs) modified with a locked nucleic acid (LNA) are widely used in the fields of therapeutics, diagnosis, and nanotechnology. There have been significant efforts towards developing LNA analogues bearing modified bridges to improve their hybridization ability, nuclease resistance, and pharmacokinetic profiles. Moreover, nucleobase modifications of LNA are useful strategies for t...

The results are reported of mass-spectrometric studies of the nucleobases adenine 1h (1, R = H), guanine 2h, and cytosine 3h. The protonated nucleobases are generated by electrospray ionization of adenosine 1r (1, R = ribose), guanosine 2r, and deoxycytidine 3d (3, R = deoxyribose) and their fragmentations were studied with tandem mass spectrometry. In contrast to previous EI-MS studies of the ...

We report deep UV initiated excited state dynamics of the canonical nucleobase adenine (Ade) through Resonance Raman (RR) intensity analysis. RR spectra of Ade at excitation wavelengths throughout the Bb absorption band in the 210-230 nm wavelength range are measured and subsequently converted to scattering cross-sections. The time-dependent wave packet (TDWP) formalism has been employed for se...

The mechanism of transport of the antiviral agent acyclovir (ACV) into human erythrocytes has been investigated. Initial velocities of ACV influx were determined with an "inhibitor-stop" assay that used papaverine to inhibit ACV influx rapidly and completely. ACV influx was nonconcentrative and appeared to be rate-saturable with a Km of 260 +/- 20 microM (n = 8). However, two lines of evidence ...

BACKGROUND The nucleobase pairs are characterized by their conformational diversity in the wild. Yet a modern nanobiotechnology utilizes their planar conformations only, developing what can be called a "planar approach". It is well established that the most energetically favorable conformations of the complementary nucleobase pairs are planar and correspond to the classical Watson-Crick nucleob...

in an endeavor to find a novel series of antihyperglycemic agents, new benzimidazole and pyrimidine derivatives were successfully synthesized efficiently in high yield with high purity, starting from amino acids in the presence of phosphorus oxychloride (pocl3). the synthesized compounds were identified by 1h-nmr, 13c-nmr, ft-ir spectroscopic techniques and elemental analysis. all products were...

Nucleoside and nucleobase uptake is integral to mammalian cell function, and its disruption has significant effects on the cardiovasculature. The predominant transporters in this regard are the equilibrative nucleoside transporter subtypes 1 (ENT1) and 2 (ENT2). To examine the role of ENT1 in more detail, we have assessed the mechanisms by which microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs) from ENT1...

The complex [(p-cym)Ru(bpm)(py)][PF(6)](2) (where p-cym = para-cymene, bpm = 2,2'-bipyrimidine and py = pyridine) is the first ruthenium(ii) arene complex that can selectively photodissociate a monodentate ligand (py) when excited with visible light and form a reactive aqua derivative able to bind to a DNA base.