experimental studies of DNA-water interaction (review)

Buckin V.A.

Mol. Biol. (USSR), 21, pp. 512-525 (1987)

In this review, we summarize recent experimental data  on  the  hydration  of  DNA  in solutions  and  in  the  following  humid  samples:  strands,  films,  and  crystals.  Special attention is given to the dimensions of the hydration shells associated with the atomic groups of the nucleic acids, the distances at which the atomic groups of the DNA exert their influence on one another's hydration,  and  the  structural,  thermodynamic,  and kinetic characteristics of the water in the DNA hydration shell,  along  with  the connections  between  these  characteristics and the structure of the DNA. Important concepts  concerning  the  mechanisms by which water effects the physicochemical properties of DNA are discussed.