Document Type

Article

Journal Title

Journal of biosciences

Publication Date

Winter 2-1-2002

Volume

27

Abstract

Fourteen genetic neurodegenerative diseases and three fragile sites have been associated with the expansion of (CTG)n (CAG)n, (CGG)n (CCG)n, or (GAA)n (TTC)n repeat tracts. Different models have been proposed for the expansion of triplet repeats, most of which presume the formation of alternative DNA structures in repeat tracts. One of the most likely structures, slipped strand DNA, may stably and reproducibly form within triplet repeat sequences. The propensity to form slipped strand DNA is proportional to the length and homogeneity of the repeat tract. The remarkable stability of slipped strand DNA may, in part, be due to loop-loop interactions facilitated by the sequence complementarity of the loops and the dynamic structure of three-way junctions formed at the loop-outs.

MeSH Headings

DNA, Humans, Microscopy, Atomic Force, Models, Genetic, Mutation, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Nucleic Acid Conformation, Trinucleotide Repeat Expansion, Trinucleotide Repeats

ISSN

0250-5991

Rights

The Indian Academy of Sciences owns the copyright in all articles and Academy-provided commentary contained in the journal.

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