DNA and Aspects of Molecular Biology

This volume is intended to cover the chemistry of one of the most widely studied and important natural products, DNA. Discussed in detail are physicochemical properties of the molecule itself as well as small-molecule natural products that are known to interact with it. Also included are methods to synthesize and manipulate DNA and modified analogues. Twenty chapters are devoted to this overall topic. The first five relate to the structure of DNA; the first focuses on thermodynamics and kinetics of double helix formation; the next two describe triple- and tetra- helical structures formed by DNA; and the last two focus on methods for probing DNA structure (specifically, NMR methods and chemical probing methods, respectively). Chapters 6-12 focus on the chemistry of natural DNA and modified analogues. The first of these addresses nonenzymatic methods for synthesizing DNA, and the next chapter, on methods for attachment of reporter groups to it. Modifications of DNA structure are