The bisulfite reaction with cytosine and genomic DNA structure

Anal Biochem. 2024 Apr 10:115532. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2024.115532. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe bisulfite reaction with native DNA has been extensively employed in the detection of non-B DNA structures that can form spontaneously in DNA. These sequences are dynamic in that they can adopt both normal Watson-Crick paired B-DNA or unusual structures like the Triplex, G-Quadruplex, i-motif and Cruciform or Hairpin. Considerable evidence now suggests that these dynamic sequences play roles in both epigenetics and mutagenesis. The bisulfite reaction with native DNA offers a key approach to their detection. In this application whole cells, isolated nuclei or isolated DNA are treated with bisulfite under non-denaturing conditions in order to detect bisulfite accessible regions DNA that are associated with these structures. Here I review the stereochemistry of the bisulfite reaction, the electronic structure of its DNA cytosine substrates and its application in the detection of unusual structures in native DNA.PMID:38609028 | DOI:10.1016/j.ab.2024.115532

Source: Analytical Biochemistry - April 12, 2024 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Steven S Smith Source Type: research