Trivaline ‘catalyzes’ 5′‐pdGTT oligomerization in solution

Abstract

We have found that the 5'-pdGTT molecules at a concentration of lo-' M HK oligomerired in solution in the presence of lo-' M tripeptide -(L-Val),-N H-NH-DNSCFJOOH and the condensation reagents (carbodiimidc and imidazolc). Oligonuclcotidcs not less than I2 bases long were formed in the yield which was over 15%. It is known that in the absence or peptide IO" M mono-or dinucleotides are required. Thus trivalinc can bc considered as OIIC of the simplest enzymes. This oligomsrization seems to be an essential way for the synthesis of long enough oligonuclcotides of the random GC-sequence, which could be used at the earliest steps of evolution.

Homology in Trivaline Complex Formation with dsDNA and ssRNA

“…In the dimeric trivaline complex the peptide chain interacting with nucleic acid may be oriented in such a way, that the N-Ca direction coincides with the 5' -3' direction in the polynucleotide molecule (16). This agrees with the suggestion of Carter and Kraut, 1974 (2), with the exception that we think that the peptide dimer has to be turned around along its long axis by 90°.…”

Trivaline Molecular Complexes with Trinucleotides Form in Solution the Extended, about 1000 Å in Length Structures

“…Among Downloaded by [Rutgers University] at 10:58 05 April 2015 the reaction products we have observed (22) several fractions of oligomers of the same length (according to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis), but characterized by different time of retention in the HPLC column, that is indicative of differences in their structure. We have connected this with the fact that our way of activation may produce 5'-5' bonds in addition to 5'-3' (35).…”

“…It is interesting that 5' -pdGTT can oligomerize at a concentration of-10-~ when this structure with DHTV is formed, whereas 10-2 M is required in the case ofthe peptide absence (22).…”

“…We have shown that DHTV ~-dimer is bound in the narrow groove of dsDNA (9) and the direction ofN-C and 5'-3' bonds coincides to provide for the peptide and nucleic acid strands interacton with each other in this nucleopeptide complex (22). Hence we concluded that the trivaline ~-dimer interacts with nucleic acids in such a way that a single peptide chain in an extended ~-like conformation interacts with a single strand of a nucleic acid.…”

“…The trivaline aNHr group may form a salt bridge with the phosphate group at the 5'-end of its trinucleotide binding site or a hydrogen bond with N(3) group of guanine or adenine, C(2)=0 group of cytosine or thymine. Such a possibility is suggested by both a decrease of the constant of DHTV binding on a nucleic acid during an increase of the sodium cacodylate concentration in solution from I to 5 mM (13), and formation, in the presence of condensing agents in solution, of a product incorporating both nucleic and peptide components (22).…”