Anomeric and Enantiomeric 2'-Deoxycytidines: Base Pair Stability in the Absence and Presence of Silver Ions.

Dodecamer duplex DNA containing anomeric (α/β-d) and enantiomeric (β-l/β-d) 2'-deoxycytidine mismatches was studied with respect to base pair stability in the absence and presence of silver ions. Stable duplexes with silver-mediated cytosine-cytosine pairs were formed by all anomeric and enantiomeric combinations. Stability changes were observed depending on the composition of the mismatches. Most strikingly, the new silver-mediated base pair of anomeric α-d-dC with enantiomeric β-l-dC is superior to the well-noted β-d/β-d-dC pair in terms of stability. CD spectra were used to follow global helical changes of DNA structure.