Communications Chemistry (Feb 2023)

i-Motif folding intermediates with zero-nucleotide loops are trapped by 2′-fluoroarabinocytidine via F···H and O···H hydrogen bonds

  • Roberto El-Khoury,
  • Veronica Macaluso,
  • Christopher Hennecker,
  • Anthony K. Mittermaier,
  • Modesto Orozco,
  • Carlos González,
  • Miguel Garavís,
  • Masad J. Damha

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-023-00831-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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The oligonucleotide d(TC5) forms a well-characterized tetrameric i-motif in solution; however, the isolation of dimeric and trimeric intermediates remains challenging. Here, the authors report that 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoroarabinocytidine substitutions can prompt TC5 to form dimeric i-motif folding intermediates through fluorine and oxygen hydrogen bonds.