Method for analysis of DNA interactions using probability density maps

D. Berdár, L. Biedermannová, B. Schneider

Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, BIOCEV, Průmyslová 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic

daniel.berdar@ibt.cas.cz

 

A plethora of experimental and computational tools are used to improve the understanding of biomolecular structure-function relationships. At the intersection of theoretical and experimental approaches stand data analysis studies that use a large pool of structures available within structural databases, such as the PDB, to show patterns in large ensembles of macromolecular structures.

Here we plan to demonstrate how, using NtC’s for local conformational description of nucleic acids [1,2], we can construct probability density maps for DNA fragments. Maps are constructed for relevant combinations of DNA building blocks and selected interacting atom/group [3]. These can be further examined or superposed to elucidate guiding patterns of interaction in biomolecular interfaces.

 

1. Schneider B, Božíková P, Nečasová I, Čech P, Svozil D, Černý J. A DNA structural alphabet provides new insight into DNA flexibility. Acta Crystallogr. D Struct Biol. 2018.

2. Černý J, Božíková P, Svoboda J, Schneider B. A unified dinucleotide alphabet describing both RNA and DNA structures. Nucleic Acids Res. 2020.

3. Biedermannova, L., Cerny, J., Maly, M., Nekardova, M., Schneider, B. Acta Crystallogr. D Struct Biol. 2018