Demonstration of G . U wobble base pairs by Raman and IR spectroscopy

When guanine and uracil form hydrogen bonds in the pairing scheme first proposed by Crick one would expect that poly(A,G) will form an unperturbed double helix with poly U at room temperature in a dilute electrolyte solution (0.1 M NaCl). We have demonstrated by Raman- and IR-spectroscopy that the secondary structure of poly(A.G) · poly U is very similar to the structure of poly A · poly U; only the thermal stability of the double helix seems slightly lower than the stability of poly A · poly U, whereas the average helix length is unaffected by the dispersed G · U base pairs. From our input ratio of guanine and adenine we estimate that about every fourth base pair is a wobble pair.     

Synthesis and crystal structure of an octamer RNA r(guguuuac)/r(guaggcac) with G.G/U.U tandem wobble base pairs: comparison with other tandem G.U pairs

We have determined the crystal structure of the RNA octamer duplex r(guguuuac)/r(guaggcac) with a tandem wobble pair, G·G/U·U (motif III), to compare it with U·G/G·U (motif I) and G·U/U·G (motif II) and to better understand their relative stabilities. The crystal belongs to the rhombohedral space group R3. The hexagonal unit cell dimensions are a = b = 41.92 Å, c = 56.41 Å, and γ = 120°, with one duplex in the asymmetric unit. The structure was solved by the molecular replacement method at 1.9 Å resolution and refined to a final R factor of 19.9% and R_free of 23.3% for 2862 reflections in the resolution range 10.0–1.9 Å with F ≥ 2σ(F). The final model contains 335 atoms for the RNA duplex and 30 water molecules. The A-RNA stacks in the familiar head-to-tail fashion forming a pseudo-continuous helix. The uridine bases of the tandem U·G pairs have slipped towards the minor groove relative to the guanine bases and the uridine O2 atoms form bifurcated hydrogen bonds with the N1 and N2 of guanines. The N2 of guanine and O2 of uridine do not bridge the ‘locked’ water molecule in the minor groove, as in motifs I and II, but are bridged by water molecules in the major groove. A comparison of base stacking stabilities of motif III with motifs I and II confirms the result of thermodynamic studies, motif I > motif III > motif II.     

Effects of flanking G . C base pairs on internal Watson-Crick, G . U, and nonbonded base pairs within a short ribonucleic acid duplex

A series of pentaribonucleotides, ApGpXpGpU (where X identical to A, G, C, or U), was synthesized to investigate the effects of flanking G . C pairs on internal Watson-Crick, G . U, and nonbonded base pairs. Sequences ApGpApCpU (Tm = 26 degrees C) and ApGpCpCpU (Tm = 25 degrees C) were each found to form a duplex with non-base-paired internal residues that stacked with the rest of the sequence but were not looped out. ApGpGpCpU also forms a duplex (Tm = 30 degrees C) but with dangling terminal nonbonded adenosines rather than internal nonbonded guanosines. ApGpUpCpU prefers a stacked single-strand conformation. In addition, contribution to duplex stability from an internal A . U or G . C base pair is enhanced by 6 degrees C when flanked by G . C base pairs as compared to A . U base pairs. G . C base pairs flanking an internal G . U base pair were found to be more tolerant to the altered conformation of a G . U pair and result in an increase to stability comparable with that found for an internal A . U base pair.     

Configuration of wobble base pairs having pyrimidines as anticodon wobble bases: significance for codon degeneracy

Degeneracy of the genetic code was attributed by Crick to imprecise hydrogen-bonded base-pairing at the wobble position during codon–anticodon pairing. The Crick wobble rules define but do not explain the RNA base pair combinations allowed at this position. We select six pyrimidine bases functioning as anticodon wobble bases (AWBs) to study their H-bonded pairing properties with the four major RNA bases using density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level. This is done to assess the extent to which the configuration of a solitary RNA wobble base pair may in itself determine specificity and degeneracy of the genetic code by allowing or disallowing the given base pair during codon–anticodon pairing. Calculated values of select configuration markers for the base pairs screen well between allowed and disallowed base pairs for most cases examined here, where the base pair width emerges as an important factor. A few allowed wobble pairs invoke the involvement of RNA nucleoside conformation, as well as involvement of the exocyclic substituent in H-bonding. This study, however, cannot explain the disallowed status of the Ura?Gua wobble pair on the basis of configuration alone. Explanation of the allowed status of the V?Ura pair requires further study on the mediatory role of water molecules. Apart from these two cases, these computational results are sufficient, on the basis of base pair configuration alone, to account for the specificity and degeneracy of the genetic code for all known cases of codon–anticodon pairing which involve the pyrimidine AWBs studied here.     

Isoalloxazine derivatives promote photocleavage of natural RNAs at G.U base pairs embedded within helices.

We have recently shown that isoalloxazine derivatives are able to photocleave RNA specifically at G.U base pairs embedded within a helical stack. The reaction involves the selective molecular recognition of G.U base pairs by the isoalloxazine ring and the removal of one nucleoside downstream of the uracil residue. Divalent metal ions are absolutely required for cleavage. Here we extend our studies to complex natural RNA molecules with known secondary and tertiary structures, such as tRNAs and a group I intron (td). G.U pairs were cleaved in accordance with the phylogenetically and experimentally derived secondary and tertiary structures. Tandem G.U pairs or certain G.U pairs located at a helix extremity were not affected. These new cleavage data, together with the RNA crystal structure, allowed us to perform molecular dynamics simulations to provide a structural basis for the observed specificity. We present a stable structural model for the ternary complex of the G. U-containing helical stack, the isoalloxazine molecule and a metal ion. This model provides significant new insight into several aspects of the cleavage phenomenon, mechanism and specificity for G. U pairs. Our study shows that in large natural RNAs a secondary structure motif made of an unusual base pair can be recognized and cleaved with high specificity by a low molecular weight molecule. This photocleavage reaction thus opens up the possibility of probing the accessibility of G.U base pairs, which are endowed with specific structural and functional roles in numerous structured and catalytic RNAs and interactions of RNA with proteins, in folded RNAs.     

The G x U wobble base pair. A fundamental building block of RNA structure crucial to RNA function in diverse biological systems

The G x U wobble base pair is a fundamental unit of RNA secondary structure that is present in nearly every class of RNA from organisms of all three phylogenetic domains. It has comparable thermodynamic stability to Watson-Crick base pairs and is nearly isomorphic to them. Therefore, it often substitutes for G x C or A x U base pairs. The G x U wobble base pair also has unique chemical, structural, dynamic and ligand-binding properties, which can only be partially mimicked by Watson-Crick base pairs or other mispairs. These features mark sites containing G x U pairs for recognition by proteins and other RNAs and allow the wobble pair to play essential functional roles in a remarkably wide range of biological processes.     

A.U and G.C base pairs in synthetic RNAS have characteristic vacuum UV CD bands.

The vacuum UV CD spectra of GpC, CpG, GpG, poly[r(A)], poly[r(C)], poly[r(U)], poly[r(A-U)], poly[r(G).r(C)], poly[r(A).r(U)], and poly[r(A-U).r(A-U)] were measured down to at least 174 nm. These spectra, together with the published spectra of poly[r(G-C).r(G-C)], CMP, and GMP, were sufficient to estimate the CD changes upon base pairing for four double-stranded RNAs. The vacuum UV CD bands of poly[r(A)], poly[r(C)], and the dinucleotides GpC and CpG were temperature dependent, suggesting that they were due to intrastrand base stacking. The dinucleotide sequence isomers GpC and CpG had very different vacuum UV CD bands, indicating that the sequence can play a role in the vacuum UV CD of single-stranded RNA. The vacuum UV CD bands of the double-stranded (G.C)-containing RNAs, poly[r(G).r(C)] and poly[r(G-C).r(G-C)], were larger than the measured or estimated vacuum UV CD bands of their constituent single-stranded RNAs and were similar in having an exceptionally large positive band at about 185 nm and negative bands near 176 and 209 nm. These similarities were enhanced in difference-CD spectra, obtained by subtracting the CD spectra of the single strands from the CD spectra of the corresponding double strands. The (A.U)-containing double-stranded RNAs poly[r(A).r(U)] and poly[r(A-U).r(A-U)] were similar only in that their vacuum UV CD spectra had a large positive band at 177 nm. The spectrum of poly[r(A).r(U)] had a shoulder at 188 nm and a negative band at 206 nm, whereas the spectrum of poly[r(A-U).r(A-U)] had a positive band at 201 nm. On the other hand, difference spectra of both of the (A.U)-containing polymers had positive bands at about 177 and 201 nm. Thus, the difference-CD spectra revealed CD bands characteristic of A.U and G.C base pairing. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Structure,stability and function of 5-chlorouracil modified A:U and G:U base pairs

The thymine analog 5-chlorouridine, first reported in the 1950s as anti-tumor agent, is known as an effective mutagen, clastogen and toxicant as well as an effective inducer of sister-chromatid exchange. Recently, the first microorganism with a chemically different genome was reported; the selected Escherichia coli strain relies on the four building blocks 5-chloro-2′-deoxyuridine (ClU), A, C and G instead of the standard T, A, C, G alphabet [Marlière,P., Patrouix,J., Döring,V., Herdewijn,P., Tricot,S., Cruveiller,S., Bouzon,M. and Mutzel,R. (2011) Chemical evolution of a bacterium’s genome. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 50, 7109–7114]. The residual fraction of T in the DNA of adapted bacteria was <2% and the switch from T to ClU was accompanied by a massive number of mutations, including >1500 A to G or G to A transitions in a culture. The former is most likely due to wobble base pairing between ClU and G, which may be more common for ClU than T. To identify potential changes in the geometries of base pairs and duplexes as a result of replacement of T by ClU, we determined four crystal structures of a B-form DNA dodecamer duplex containing ClU:A or ClU:G base pairs. The structures reveal nearly identical geometries of these pairs compared with T:A or T:G, respectively, and no consequences for stability and cleavage by an endonuclease (EcoRI). The lack of significant changes in the geometry of ClU:A and ClU:G base pairs relative to the corresponding native pairs is consistent with the sustained unlimited self-reproduction of E. coli strains with virtually complete T→ClU genome substitution.     

Base pairing structure in the poly d(G-T) double helix: wobble base pairs.

High resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and ethidium bromide binding studies are used to demonstrate that poly d(G-T) forms an ordered double helical structure at low temperatures (below 24 degrees C in 0.3 M NaCl) in which G and T are hydrogen bonded together in a wobble base pair hydrogen bonding scheme as proposed earlier by Lezius and Domin. Alternative hydrogen bonding schemes involving the tautomeric form of either T or G, such as have been proposed to account for mutation rates in DNA synthesis, are eliminated.     

Crystal structure of a 14 bp RNA duplex with non-symmetrical tandem GxU wobble base pairs

Adjacent GxU wobble base pairs are frequently found in rRNA. Atomic structures of small RNA motifs help to provide a better understanding of the effects of various tandem mismatches on duplex structure and stability, thereby providing better rules for RNA structure prediction and validation. The crystal structure of an RNA duplex containing the sequence r(GGUAUUGC-GGUACC)2 has been solved at 2.1 A resolution using experimental phases. Novel refinement strategies were needed for building the correct solvent model. At present, this is the only short RNA duplex structure containing 5'-U-U-3'/3'-G-G-5' non-symmetric tandem GxU wobble base pairs. In the 14mer duplex, the six central base pairs are all displaced away from the helix axis, yielding significant changes in local backbone conformation, helix parameters and charge distribution that may provide specific recognition sites for biologically relevant ligand binding. The greatest deviations from A-form helix occur where the guanine of a wobble base pair stacks over a purine from the opposite strand. In this vicinity, the intra-strand phosphate distances increase significantly, and the major groove width increases up to 3 A. Structural comparisons with other short duplexes containing symmetrical tandem GxU or GxT wobble base pairs show that nearest-neighbor sequence dependencies govern helical twist and the occurrence of cross-strand purine stacks.     

Crystal structure of an RNA duplex r(G GCGC CC)2 with non-adjacent G*U base pairs

The crystal structure of a self-complementary RNA duplex r(GGGCGCUCC)2with non-adjacent G*U and U*G wobble pairs separated by four Watson-Crick base pairs has been determined to 2.5 A resolution. Crystals belong to the space group R3; a = 33.09 A,alpha = 87.30 degrees with a pseudodyad related duplex in the asymmetric unit. The structure was refined to a final Rworkof 17.5% and Rfreeof 24.0%. The duplexes stack head-to-tail forming infinite columns with virtually no twist at the junction steps. The 3'-terminal cytosine nucleosides are disordered and there are no electron densities, but the 3' penultimate phosphates are observed. As expected, the wobble pairs are displaced with guanine towards the minor groove and uracil towards the major groove. The largest twist angles (37.70 and 40.57 degrees ) are at steps G1*C17/G2*U16 and U7*G11/C8*G10, while the smallest twist angles (28.24 and 27.27 degrees ) are at G2*U16/G3*C15 and C6*G12/U7*G11 and conform to the pseudo-dyad symmetry of the duplex. The molecule has two unequal kinks (17 and 11 degrees ) at the wobble sites and a third kink at the central G5 site which may be attributed to trans alpha (O5'-P), trans gamma (C4'-C5') backbone conformations. The 2'-hydroxyl groups in the minor groove form inter-column hydrogen bonding, either directly or through water molecules.     

G.U base pairing motifs in ribosomal RNA.

An increasing number of recognition mechanisms in RNA are found to involve G.U base pairs. In order to detect new functional sites of this type, we exhaustively analyzed the sequence alignments and secondary structures of eubacterial and chloroplast 16S and 23S rRNA, seeking positions with high levels of G.U pairs. Approximately 120 such sites were identified and classified according to their secondary structure and sequence environment. Overall biases in the distribution of G.U pairs are consistent with previously proposed structural rules: the side of the wobble pair that is subject to a loss of stacking is preferentially exposed to a secondary structure loop, where stacking is not as essential as in helical regions. However, multiple sites violate these rules and display highly conserved G.U pairs in orientations that could cause severe stacking problems. In addition, three motifs displaying a conserved G.U pair in a specific sequence/structure environment occur at an unusually high frequency. These motifs, of which two had not been reported before, involve sequences 5''UG3'' 3''GA5'' and 5''UG3'' 3''GU5'', as well as G.U pairs flanked by a bulge loop 3'' of U. The possible structures and functions of these recurrent motifs are discussed.     

Crystal structure of acceptor stem of tRNA(Ala) from Escherichia coli shows unique G.U wobble base pair at 1.16 A resolution.

The acceptor stem of Escherichia coli tRNA(Ala), rGGGGCUA.rUAGCUCC (ALAwt), contains the main identity element for the correct aminoacylation by the alanyl tRNA synthetase. The presence of a G3.U70 wobble base pair is essential for the specificity of this reaction, but there is a debate whether direct minor-groove contact with the 2-amino group of G3 or a distortion of the acceptor stem induced by the wobble pair is the critical feature recognized by the synthetase. We here report the structure analysis of ALAwt at near-atomic resolution using twinned crystals. The crystal lattice is stabilized by a novel strontium binding motif between two cis-diolic O3'-terminal riboses. The two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit of the crystal show overall A-RNA geometry. A comparison with the crystal structure of the G3-C70 mutant of the acceptor stem (ALA(C70)) determined at 1.4 A exhibits a modulation in ALAwt of helical twist and slide due to the wobble base pair, but no recognizable distortion of the helix fragment distant from the wobble base pair. We suggest that a highly conserved hydration pattern in both grooves around the G3.U70 wobble base pair may be functionally significant.     

Thermodynamics of RNA duplexes with tandem mismatches containing a uracil-uracil pair flanked by C.G/G.C or G.C/A.U closing base pairs

The thermodynamics governing the denaturation of RNA duplexes containing 8 bp and a central tandem mismatch or 10 bp were evaluated using UV absorbance melting curves. Each of the eight tandem mismatches that were examined had one U-U pair adjacent to another noncanonical base pair. They were examined in two different RNA duplex environments, one with the tandem mismatch closed by G.C base pairs and the other with G.C and A.U closing base pairs. The free energy increments (Delta Gdegrees(loop)) of the 2 x 2 loops were positive, and showed relatively small differences between the two closing base pair environments. Assuming temperature-independent enthalpy changes for the transitions, (Delta Gdegrees(loop)) for the 2 x 2 loops varied from 0.9 to 1.9 kcal/mol in 1 M Na(+) at 37 degrees C. Most values were within 0.8 kcal/mol of previously estimated values; however, a few sequences differed by 1.2-2.0 kcal/mol. Single strands employed to form the RNA duplexes exhibited small noncooperative absorbance increases with temperature or transitions indicative of partial self-complementary duplexes. One strand formed a partial self-complementary duplex that was more stable than the tandem mismatch duplexes it formed. Transitions of the RNA duplexes were analyzed using equations that included the coupled equilibrium of self-complementary duplex and non-self-complementary duplex denaturation. The average heat capacity change (DeltaC(p)) associated with the transitions of two RNA duplexes was estimated by plotting DeltaH degrees and DeltaS degrees evaluated at different strand concentrations as a function of T(m) and ln T(m), respectively. The average DeltaC(p) was 70 +/- 5 cal K(-)(1) (mol of base pairs)(-)(1). Consideration of this heat capacity change reduced the free energy of formation at 37 degrees C of the 10 bp control RNA duplexes by 0.3-0.6 kcal/mol, which may increase Delta Gdegrees(loop) values by similar amounts.     

Structural and evolutionary classification of G/U wobble basepairs in the ribosome

We present a comprehensive structural, evolutionary and molecular dynamics (MD) study of the G/U wobble basepairs in the ribosome based on high-resolution crystal structures, including the recent Escherichia coli structure. These basepairs are classified according to their tertiary interactions, and sequence conservation at their positions is determined. G/U basepairs participating in tertiary interactions are more conserved than those lacking any interactions. Specific interactions occurring in the G/U shallow groove pocket--like packing interactions (P-interactions) and some phosphate backbone interactions (phosphate-in-pocket interactions)--lead to higher G/U conservation than others. Two salient cases of unique phylogenetic compensation are discovered. First, a P-interaction is conserved through a series of compensatory mutations involving all four participating nucleotides to preserve or restore the G/U in the optimal orientation. Second, a G/U basepair forming a P-interaction and another one forming a phosphate-in-pocket interaction are replaced by GNRA loops that maintain similar tertiary contacts. MD simulations were carried out on eight P-interactions. The specific GU/CG signature of this interaction observed in structure and sequence analysis was rationalized, and can now be used for improving sequence alignments.     

Identification of three G.U base pairs in Bacillus subtilis ribosomal 5S RNA via 500-MHz proton homonuclear Overhauser enhancements

Three distinct G.U base pairs in Bacillus subtilis 5S RNA have been identified via homonuclear Overhauser enhancements (NOE) of their low-field (9-15 ppm) proton Fourier transform nuclear magnetic resonances at 11.75 T. With these G.U resonances as starting points, short segments of NOE connectivity can be established. One G.U-G.C-G.C segment (most probably G4.C112-G5.C111-U6.G110) can definitely be assigned to the terminal helix. The existence of at least part of the terminal helical stem of the secondary structure of a Gram-positive bacterial 5S RNA has thus been established for the first time by direct experimental observation. Addition of Mg2+ produces almost no conformational changes in the terminal stem but results in major conformational changes elsewhere in the structure, as reflected by changes in the 1H 500-MHz low-field NMR spectrum. Assignment of the two remaining G.U base pairs will require further experiments (e.g., enzymatic-cleavage fragments). Finally, the implications of these results for analysis of RNA secondary structure are discussed.     

Structural studies of DNA fragments: the G.T wobble base pair in A, B and Z DNA; the G.A base pair in B-DNA

The crystal structures of five double helical DNA fragments containing non-Watson-Crick complementary base pairs are reviewed. They comprise four fragments containing G.T base pairs: two deoxyoctamers d(GGGGCTCC) and d(GGGGTCCC) which crystallise as A type helices; a deoxydodecamer d(CGCGAATTTGCG) which crystallises in the B-DNA conformation; and the deoxyhexamer d(TGCGCG), which crystallises as a Z-DNA helix. In all four duplexes the G and T bases form wobble base pairs, with bases in the major tautomer forms and hydrogen bonds linking N1 of G with O2 of T and O6 of G with N3 of T. The X-ray analyses establish that the G.T wobble base pair can be accommodated in the A, B or Z double helix with minimal distortion of the global conformation. There are, however, changes in base stacking in the neighbourhood of the mismatched bases. The fifth structure, d(CGCGAATTAGCG), contains the purine purine mismatch G.A where G is in the anti and A in the syn conformation. The results represent the first direct structure determinations of base pair mismatches in DNA fragments and are discussed in relation to the fidelity of replication and mismatch recognition.     

The biological equilibrium of base pairs

Summary An inherent feature of double-stranded DNA is the possible replacement of any base pair by another one upon replication. A replication-dependent substitution mutation of a matched base pair requires the temporary formation of a mismatched base pair (mispair). A functionally complementary pair of mispairs is ascribed to each of the four types of substitution mutations. Provided that all types of mispairs can be formed, a dynamic biological equilibrium between the four matched base pairs must exist in all DNA, which is directly related to the formation and stability of the corresponding eight mispairs in vivo. Each nucleotide position in a genome can therefore be described as a system of six dynamic equilibria between the four matched base pairs. After a sufficient number of replications, these equilibrium states will express an overall mutation-selection balance for each individual base pair. In a thermodynamic context, the mispairs represent intermediate states on the transformation pathway between the matched base pairs. Catalysts change the stability and probability of formation of intermediate states. Mutagenic proteins are proposed as hypothetical substitution mutation catalysts in vivo. Functionally, they would be capable of recognizing a particular DNA sequence, tautomerizing a nucleotide base thereof, and hence efficiently inducing a specific misincorporation. Phenomenologically such catalysts would accelerate the rates of substitution mutations and provide pathways for directional mutation pressure. Present address until March 31 1990: University Chemical Laboratory, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, Great Britain     

Thermodynamic analysis of 5' and 3' single- and 3' double-nucleotide overhangs neighboring wobble terminal base pairs

Thermodynamic parameters are reported for duplex formation of 40 self-complementary RNA duplexes containing wobble terminal base pairs with all possible 3′ single and double-nucleotide overhangs, mimicking the structures of short interfering RNAs (siRNA) and microRNAs (miRNA). Based on nearest neighbor analysis, the addition of a single 3′ dangling nucleotide increases the stability of duplex formation up to 1 kcal/mol in a sequence-dependent manner. The addition of a second dangling nucleotide increases the stability of duplexes closed with wobble base pairs in an idiosyncratic manner. The results allow for the development of a nearest neighbor model, which improves the predication of free energy and melting temperature for duplexes closed by wobble base pairs with 3′ single or double-nucleotide overhangs. Phylogenetic analysis of naturally occurring miRNAs was performed. Selection of the effector miR strand of the mature miRNA duplex appears to be dependent on the orientation of the GU closing base pair rather than the identity of the 3′ double-nucleotide overhang. Thermodynamic parameters for the 5′ single terminal overhangs adjacent to wobble closing base pairs are also presented.     

Stabilities of consecutive A.C, C.C, G.G, U.C, and U.U mismatches in RNA internal loops: Evidence for stable hydrogen-bonded U.U and C.C.+ pairs.

The stability and structure of RNA duplexes with consecutive A.C, C.A, C.C, G.G, U.C, C.U, and U.U mismatches were studied by UV melting, CD, and NMR. The results are compared to previous results for GA and AA internal loops [SantaLucia, J., Kierzek, R., & Turner, D. H. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 8813-8819; Peritz, A., Kierzek, R., & Turner, D.H. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 6428-6436)]. The observed order for stability increments of internal loop formation at pH 7 is AG = GA approximately UU greater than GG greater than or equal to CA greater than or equal to AA = CU = UC greater than or equal to CC greater than or equal to AC. The results suggest two classes for internal loops with consecutive mismatches: (1) loops that stabilize duplexes and have strong hydrogen bonding and (2) loops that destabilize duplexes and may not have strong hydrogen bonding. Surprisingly, rCGCUUGCG forms a very stable duplex at pH 7 in 1 M NaCl with a TM of 44.8 degrees C at 1 x 10(-4) M and a delta G degrees 37 of -7.2 kcal/mol. NOE studies of the imino protons indicate hydrogen bonding within the U.U mismatches in a wobble-type structure. Resonances corresponding to the hydrogen-bonded uridines are located at 11.3 and 10.4 ppm. At neutral pH, rCGCCCGCG is one of the least stable duplexes with a TM of 33.2 degrees C and delta G degrees 37 of -5.1 kcal/mol. Upon lowering the pH to 5.5, however, the TM increases by 12 degrees C, and delta G degrees 37 becomes more favorable by 2.5 kcal/mol. The pH dependence of rCGCCCGCG may be due to protonation of the internal loop C's, since no changes in thermodynamic parameters are observed for rCGCUUGCG between pH 7 and 5.5. Furthermore, two broad imino proton resonances are observed at 10.85 and 10.05 ppm for rCGCCCGCG at pH 5.3, but not at pH 6.5. This is also consistent with C.C+ base pairs forming at pH 5.5. rCGCCAGCG and rGGCACGCC have a small pH dependence, with TM increases of 5 and 3 degrees C, respectively, upon lowering the pH from 7 to 5.5. rCGCCUGCG and rCGCUCGCG also show little pH dependence, with TM increases of 0.8 and 1.4 degrees C, respectively, upon lowering the pH to 5.5.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)