N1...N3 hydrogen bonds of A:U base pairs of RNA are stronger than those of A:T base pairs of DNA.

Journal article

Trans-hydrogen-bond deuterium isotope effects of Watson-Crick A:U and A:T base pairs of 10 homologous RNA and DNA duplexes are compared. The isotope effect at 13C2 of adenosine residues due to deuterium/protium substitution at the imino H3 site, 2hDelta13C2, is larger in RNA than in DNA. The virtually consistent larger isotope effects in RNA suggest that the N1...N3 hydrogen bonds of A:U base pairs of RNA are stronger than those of the A:T base pairs of DNA.

Authors: Vakonakis, I; LiWang, A

• Journal: J Am Chem Soc
• Volume: 126
• Issue: 18
• Pages: 5688-5689
• Place of publication: United States
• Publication date: 2004-05-12
• DOI: 10.1021/ja048981t
• ISSN: 0002-7863
• Language: English
• Keywords: DNA; Molecular Structure; RNA; Hydrogen Bonding; Base Sequence; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Base Pairing