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Methylation of cytosine influences the DNA structure

  • Chapter
DNA Methylation

Part of the book series: EXS ((EXS,volume 64))

Abstract

In the past decade it has become increasingly clear that DNA has the potential to adopt a variety of unusual secondary structures which deviate from the classical right-handed B-DNA form. Intrinsic properties of the DNA molecule (primary base sequence and base modifications, degree of supercoiling) determine whether such an unusual structure is possible. Environmental factors (like ionic strength or pH of the medium, temperature, solvent polarity, interactions with proteins or drugs) have a strong influence on whether the structure is actually formed or not.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Schools of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Station, Birmingham, AL, 35294-0005, USA

    Wolfgang Zacharias

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  1. Wolfgang Zacharias
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  1. Friedrich Miescher-Institut, P.O. Box 2543, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland

    Jean-Pierre Jost

  2. IRBM, Via Pontina Km 30,600, I-00040, Pomenzia (Roma), Italy

    Hans-Peter Saluz

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© 1993 Birkhäuser Verlag Basel/Switzerland

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Zacharias, W. (1993). Methylation of cytosine influences the DNA structure. In: Jost, JP., Saluz, HP. (eds) DNA Methylation. EXS, vol 64. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-9118-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-9118-9_3

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Basel

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-0348-9915-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-9118-9

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