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1. Transmetalation for DNA‐Based Molecular Electronics

   https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202411518  

   De, Arpan; Lu, Brandon; Ohayon, Yoel P; Woloszyn, Karol; Livernois, William; Perren, Lara; Yang, Chu‐fan; Mao, Chengde; Botana, Antia S; Hihath, Joshua; et al (June 2025, Small)

   Abstract The rational design of molecular electronics remains a grand challenge of materials science. DNA nanotechnology has offered unmatched control over molecular geometry, but direct electronic functionalization is a challenge. Here a generalized method is presented for tuning the local band structure of DNA using transmetalation in metal‐mediated base pairs (mmDNA). A method is developed for time‐resolved X‐ray diffraction using self‐assembling DNA crystals to establish the exchange of Ag⁺ and Hg²⁺ in T:T base pairs driven by pH exchange. Transmetalation is tracked over six reaction phases as crystal pH is changed from pH 8.0 to 11.0, and vice versa. A detailed computational analysis of the electronic configuration and transmission in the ensuing crystal structures is then performed. This findings reveal a high conductance contrast in the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) as a result of metalation. The ability to exchange single transition metal ions as a result of environmental stimuli heralds a means of modulating the conductance of DNA‐based molecular electronics. In this way, both theoretical and experimental basis are established by which mmDNA can be leveraged to build rewritable memory devices and nanoelectronics. 

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2. A unified Watson-Crick geometry drives transcription of six-letter expanded DNA alphabets by E. coli RNA polymerase

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-43735-9  

   Oh, Juntaek; Shan, Zelin; Hoshika, Shuichi; Xu, Jun; Chong, Jenny; Benner, Steven A; Lyumkis, Dmitry; Wang, Dong (December 2023, Nature Communications)

   Abstract Artificially Expanded Genetic Information Systems (AEGIS) add independently replicable unnatural nucleotide pairs to the natural G:C and A:T/U pairs found in native DNA, joining the unnatural pairs through alternative modes of hydrogen bonding. Whether and how AEGIS pairs are recognized and processed by multi-subunit cellular RNA polymerases (RNAPs) remains unknown. Here, we show thatE. coliRNAP selectively recognizes unnatural nucleobases in a six-letter expanded genetic system. High-resolution cryo-EM structures of three RNAP elongation complexes containing template-substrate UBPs reveal the shared principles behind the recognition of AEGIS and natural base pairs. In these structures, RNAPs are captured in an active state, poised to perform the chemistry step. At this point, the unnatural base pair adopts a Watson-Crick geometry, and the trigger loop is folded into an active conformation, indicating that the mechanistic principles underlying recognition and incorporation of natural base pairs also apply to AEGIS unnatural base pairs. These data validate the design philosophy of AEGIS unnatural basepairs. Further, we provide structural evidence supporting a long-standing hypothesis that pair mismatch during transcription occurs via tautomerization. Together, our work highlights the importance of Watson-Crick complementarity underlying the design principles of AEGIS base pair recognition. 

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3. Effects of Intra‐Base Pair Proton Transfer on Dissociation and Singlet Oxygenation of 9‐Methyl‐8‐Oxoguanine−1‐Methyl‐Cytosine Base‐Pair Radical Cations

   https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.202300511  

   Moe, May Myat; Tsai, Midas; Liu, Jianbo (October 2023, ChemPhysChem)

   Abstract 8‐Oxoguanosine is the most common oxidatively generated base damage and pairs with complementary cytidine within duplex DNA. The 8‐oxoguanosine−cytidine lesion, if not recognized and removed, not only leads to G‐to‐T transversion mutations but renders the base pair being more vulnerable to the ionizing radiation and singlet oxygen (¹O₂) damage. Herein, reaction dynamics of a prototype Watson−Crick base pair [9MOG ⋅ 1MC]⋅⁺, consisting of 9‐methyl‐8‐oxoguanine radical cation (9MOG⋅⁺) and 1‐methylcystosine (1MC), was examined using mass spectrometry coupled with electrospray ionization. We first detected base‐pair dissociation in collisions with the Xe gas, which provided insight into intra‐base pair proton transfer of 9MOG⋅⁺ ⋅ 1MC[9MOG − H_N1]⋅ ⋅ [1MC+H_N3′]⁺and subsequent non‐statistical base‐pair separation. We then measured the reaction of [9MOG ⋅ 1MC]⋅⁺with¹O₂, revealing the two most probable pathways, C5‐O₂addition and H_N7‐abstraction at 9MOG. Reactions were entangled with the two forms of 9MOG radicals and base‐pair structures as well as multi‐configurations between open‐shell radicals and¹O₂(that has a mixed singlet/triplet character). These were disentangled by utilizing approximately spin‐projected density functional theory, coupled‐cluster theory and multi‐referential electronic structure modeling. The work delineated base‐pair structural context effects and determined relative reactivity toward¹O₂as [9MOG − H]⋅>9MOG⋅⁺>[9MOG − H_N1]⋅ ⋅ [1MC+H_N3′]⁺≥9MOG⋅⁺ ⋅ 1MC. 

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4. RNAcanvas: interactive drawing and exploration of nucleic acid structures

   Johnson, Philip Z; Simon, Anne E. (April 2023, Nucleic acids research)

   Two-dimensional drawing of nucleic acid structures, particularly RNA structures, is fundamental to the communication of nucleic acids research. However, manually drawing structures is laborious and infeasible for structures thousands of nucleotides long. RNAcanvas automatically arranges residues into strictly shaped stems and loops while providing robust interactive editing features, including click-and-drag layout adjustment. Drawn elements are highly customizable in a point-and-click manner, including colours, fonts, size and shading, flexible numbering, and outlining of bases. Tertiary interactions can be drawn as draggable, curved lines. Leontis-Westhof notation for depicting non-canonical base-pairs is fully supported, as well as text labels for structural features (e.g., hairpins). RNAcanvas also has many unique features and performance optimizations for large structures that cannot be correctly predicted and require manual refinement based on the researcher’s own analyses and expertise. To this end, RNAcanvas has point-and-click structure editing with real-time highlighting of complementary sequences and motif search functionality, novel features that greatly aid in the identification of putative long-range tertiary interactions, de novo analysis of local structures, and phylogenetic comparisons. For ease in producing publication quality figures, drawings can be exported in both SVG and PowerPoint formats. URL: https://rnacanvas.app 

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5. Nanopores map the acid-base properties of a single site in a single DNA molecule

   https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkae518  

   Smith, Drew C; Thomas, Christopher A; Craig, Jonathan M; Brinkerhoff, Henry; Abell, Sarah J; Franzi, Michaela C; Carrasco, Jessica D; Hoshika, Shuichi; Benner, Steven A; Gundlach, Jens H; et al (June 2024, Nucleic Acids Research)

   Abstract Nanopores are increasingly powerful tools for single molecule sensing, in particular, for sequencing DNA, RNA and peptides. This success has spurred efforts to sequence non-canonical nucleic acid bases and amino acids. While canonical DNA and RNA bases have pKas far from neutral, certain non-canonical bases, natural RNA modifications, and amino acids are known to have pKas near neutral pHs at which nanopore sequencing is typically performed. Previous reports have suggested that the nanopore signal may be sensitive to the protonation state of an individual moiety. We sequenced ion currents with the MspA nanopore using a single stranded DNA containing a single non-canonical DNA base (Z) at various pH conditions. The Z-base has a near-neutral pKa ∼ 7.8. We find that the measured ion current is remarkably sensitive to the protonation state of the Z-base. We demonstrate how nanopores can be used to localize and determine the pKa of individual moieties along a polymer. More broadly, these experiments provide a path to mapping different protonation sites along polymers and give insight in how to optimize sequencing of polymers that contain moieties with near-neutral pKas. 

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