DNA can adopt many other structures beyond the canonical B-form double helix. These alternative DNA structures have become increasingly significant as new biological roles are found for them. Additionally, there has been a growing interest in using non-canonical base pairs to provide structural diversity for designing DNA architectures for nanotechnology applications. We recently described the crystal structure of d(ACTCGGATGAT), which forms a tetraplex through parallel-stranded homo-base pairs and nucleobase intercalation. The homoduplex region contains a d(YGA⋅YGA) motif observed in crystal and solution structures. Here, we examine the structural implications of the homopyrimidine base pair within this motif. We determined crystal structures of two variants that differ from the original structure in the homopyrimidine base pairs and number of d(YGA) motifs. Our results show that the intercalation-locked tetraplex motif is predictable in these different sequence contexts and that substituting C⋅C base pairs for T⋅T base pairs introduces asymmetry to the homoduplex. These results have important implications for utilizing d(YGA) motifs in DNA crystal design and could provide a basis for understanding how local structures could be associated with repeat expansions.

Three-dimensional (3D) DNA crystals have been envisioned as a powerful tool for the positional control of biological and non-biological arrays on the nanoscale. However, most DNA crystals contain short duplex regions that can result in low thermal stability. Additionally, because DNA is a polyanion, DNA crystals often require high cation concentrations to maintain their integrity. Here, we demonstrate that a DNA alkylating mustard, bis(2-chloroethyl)amine, can form interstrand crosslinks within a model 3D DNA crystal. The crosslinking procedure did not alter crystal X-ray diffraction properties, but it did significantly improve the overall stability of the crystals under a variety of conditions. Crosslinked crystals showed enhanced stability at elevated temperature and were stable at Mg²⁺ concentrations as low as 1 mm. Remarkably, the crosslinked crystals showed significant resistance to DNase I treatment, while also having improved longevity in tissue culture mediums. Characterization of the crosslinked species suggest that there are multiple crosslinking sites, but that the most prevalent interstrand crosslink involves an unpaired 3′-terminal guanosine residue. The improved stability of these DNA crystals suggests that simple treatment with alkylating reagents might be sufficient to stabilize crystals and other DNA constructs for improved functionality in biological and non-biological applications.

DNA is a widely used biopolymer for the construction of nanometer-scale objects due to its programmability and structural predictability. One long-standing goal of the DNA nanotechnology field has been the construction of three-dimensional DNA crystals. We previously determined the X-ray crystal structure of a DNA 13-mer that forms a continuously hydrogen bonded three-dimensional lattice through Watson-Crick and non-canonical base pairs. Our current study sets out to understand how the sequence of the Watson-Crick duplex region influences crystallization of this 13-mer. We screened all possible self-complementary sequences in the hexameric duplex region and found 21 oligonucleotides that crystallized. Sequence analysis showed that one specific Watson-Crick pair influenced the crystallization propensity and the speed of crystal self-assembly. We determined X-ray crystal structures for 13 of these oligonucleotides and found sequence-specific structural changes that suggests that this base pair may serve as a structural anchor during crystal assembly. Finally, we explored the crystal self-assembly and nucleation process. Solution studies indicated that these oligonucleotides do not form base pairs in the absence of cations, but that the addition of divalent cations leads to rapid self-assembly to higher molecular weight complexes. We further demonstrate that crystals grown from mixtures of two different oligonucleotide sequences contain both oligonucleotides. These results suggest that crystal self-assembly is nucleated by the formation of the Watson-Crick duplexes initiated by a simple chemical trigger. This study provides new insight into the role of sequence for the assembly of periodic DNA structures. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 103: 618–626, 2015.