TheDNA sequences 5′‐d(CGC‐AC‐GCG)‐3′ (HPAC), 5′‐d(CGC‐AA‐GCG)‐3′ (HPAA),
5′‐d(CGC‐TC‐GCG)‐3′ (HPTC), and 5′‐d(CGC‐CT‐GCG)‐3′ (HPCT), were
studied by means of nmr spectroscopy. At low DNA concentration and no
added salt all four molecules adopt a minihairpin structure, containing
three Watson–Crick base pairs and a two‐residue loop. The structure of
the HPAC hairpin is based on quantitative distance restraints, derived
by a full relaxation matrix approach (iterative relaxation matrix
approach), together with torsion angles obtained from coupling constant
analysis. The loop folding is of the H1‐family type, characterized by
continuous 3′‐5′ stacking of the loop bases on the duplex stem. The
structure of the HPAA hairpin is similar to that of HPAC, but is more
flexible and has a lower thermodynamic stability (Tm 326 K
vs 320 K). According to “weakly” distance‐constrained simulations
in water on the HPAC minihairpin, the typical H1‐family loop folding
remains intact during the simulation. However, residue‐based R factors
of simulated nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy spectra, free
molecular dynamics simulations in vacuo, and unusual chemical shift
profiles indicate partial destacking of the loop bases at temperatures
below the overall melting midpoint. The dynamic nature of the loop
bases gives insight into the geometrical tolerances of stacking between
bases in H1‐family minihairpin loops. The HPTC and HPCT minihairpins,
both containing a pyrimidine base at the first position in the loop,
adopt a H2‐family type folding, in which the first loop base is loosely
bound in the minor groove and the second loop base is stacked upon the
helix stem. The thermal stability for these two hairpins corresponds to
327–329 K, but depends on local base sequence. Preference for the type
of folding depends on a single substitution from a pyrimidine (H2
family) to a purine (H1 family) at the first position of the miniloop
and is explained by differences in base stacking energies, steric size,
and the number of possible candidates for hydrogen bonds in the minor
groove. In view of newly collected data, previous models of the
H1‐family and H2‐family hairpins had to be revised and are now
compatible with the reported HPTC and HPAC structures. The structural
difference between the refined structure of HPAC and HPTC show that a
conversion between H1‐family and H2‐family hairpins is geometrically
possible by a simple pivot point rotation of 270° along two
torsion angles, thereby swiveling the first loop base from a stacked
position in a H1‐family folding toward a position in the minor groove
in a H2‐family folding. The second loop residue subsequently shifts to
the position of the first base in a concerted fashion. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biopoly 46: 375–393, 1998