Is dna double or single stranded

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Is DNA Double or Single Stranded?

DNA Structure: Double-Stranded Helix

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is predominantly found in a double-stranded helical conformation in living organisms. This double-stranded structure, known as B-DNA, consists of two complementary strands that wind around each other to form a stable double helix . The double-stranded nature of DNA is crucial for its role in storing genetic information and ensuring accurate replication during cell division .

Single-Stranded DNA: Occurrence and Function

While DNA is primarily double-stranded, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) does exist and plays significant roles in various cellular processes. Single-stranded DNA can be found transiently during DNA replication, repair, and recombination . For instance, during DNA replication, the double helix unwinds to allow the synthesis of new complementary strands, temporarily exposing single-stranded regions .

Structural Properties of Single-Stranded DNA

Single-stranded DNA can adopt conformations similar to double-stranded B-DNA. Computational studies have shown that single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides can retain rise coordinates characteristic of double helices, particularly in sequences rich in stacked adenines 110. These single strands can form helical structures that are quite ordered, although they may exhibit some deviations from the standard B-DNA conformation .

Single-Stranded DNA in Plasmids

In certain bacterial species, plasmids can exist in both double-stranded and single-stranded forms. For example, plasmid pC194 in Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus can be found as circular single-stranded DNA, which corresponds to one of the two DNA strands of the plasmid 39. This single-stranded form is often an intermediate in plasmid replication, where it is eventually converted back to double-stranded DNA .

DNA Damage and Repair Mechanisms

Single-stranded DNA regions are particularly susceptible to damage and require protection by single-stranded DNA binding proteins (SSBs) to prevent further degradation . The DNA damage response involves distinct pathways for single-stranded breaks (SSBs) and double-stranded breaks (DSBs), although there are overlapping mechanisms, such as the activation of the p53 protein . Single-stranded breaks are often repaired preferentially due to their higher susceptibility to damage .

Conclusion

In summary, DNA is predominantly double-stranded, forming the well-known double helix structure essential for genetic stability and replication. However, single-stranded DNA also plays crucial roles in various cellular processes, including replication, repair, and recombination. The structural properties of single-stranded DNA can closely resemble those of double-stranded DNA, particularly in specific sequences. Understanding the dynamics between single-stranded and double-stranded DNA is vital for comprehending the complexities of genetic regulation and stability.

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Most relevant research papers on this topic

Single-Stranded DNA Oligonucleotides Retain Rise Coordinates Characteristic of Double Helices.

Single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides adopt conformations very close to crystallographic B-DNA, with rise coordinates up to 3.3, reflecting several structural properties of double helices rich in adenine.

2018·

11citations

·Amedeo Capobianco et al.

Double stranded DNA sequencing as a choice for DNA sequencing.

Double stranded DNA sequencing using Sequenase, a modified T7 DNA polymerase, can now produce results as good as single stranded DNA sequencing, with improved template DNA quality and sequencing conditions.

Highly Cited

1988·

265citations

·Hong Zhang et al.

Single-stranded plasmid DNA in Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus.

Single-stranded plasmid DNA is present in Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, with one-third of plasmid copies being single-stranded, and is found in similar proportions for other plasmids.

Highly Cited

1986·

231citations

·H. te Riele et al.

Overstretching B-DNA: The Elastic Response of Individual Double-Stranded and Single-Stranded DNA Molecules

Stretching double-stranded DNA molecules to 65 piconewtons leads to a stable form 70% longer than B-form, potentially impacting DNA recombination energetics.

Highly Cited

1996·

2450citations

·Steven B. Smith et al.

Human single-stranded DNA binding protein 1 (hSSB1, OBFC2B), a critical component of the DNA damage response.

HSSB1 plays a critical role in maintaining genomic stability by protecting exposed single-stranded DNA from damage during cellular transactions and DNA damage events.

2019·

26citations

·L. Croft et al.

The relationship between DNA single-stranded damage response and double-stranded damage response

DNA single-stranded breaks are repaired preferentially and more likely to cause apoptosis when both single-stranded and double-stranded breaks exist simultaneously, with p53 responding to single-stranded breaks preferentially and single-stranded breaks causing more apoptos

2018·

28citations

·Aiqing Ma et al.

Atomic force microscopy of single- and double-stranded DNA.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) can effectively image single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA, providing insights into their structure and function.

Highly Cited

1992·

115citations

·H. Hansma et al.

Single-stranded DNA library preparation for the sequencing of ancient or damaged DNA

This method efficiently converts short DNA into libraries for high-throughput sequencing using Illumina technology, improving sequence retrieval from ancient or damaged DNA.

Highly Cited

2013·

465citations

·Marie-Theres Gansauge et al.

Are single‐stranded circles intermediates in plasmid DNA replication?

Single-stranded DNA is a plasmid replication intermediate, converted to double-stranded DNA by complementary strand synthesis.

Highly Cited

1986·

125citations

·H. Riele et al.

Duplex DNA Retains the Conformational Features of Single Strands: Perspectives from MD Simulations and Quantum Chemical Computations

Duplex DNA retains the conformational features of single strands, with single strands rich in adjacent purine nucleobases adopting more regular arrangements than poly-thymine.

2022·

2citations

·Amedeo Capobianco et al.

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