%0 Journal Article
%T Modified RNA with a Phosphate-Methylated Backbone. A Serious Omission in Our (Retracted) Study at HIV-1 RNA Loops and Integrated DNA. Specific Properties of the (Modified) RNA and DNA Dimers
%A Henk M. Buck
%J Journal of Biophysical Chemistry
%P 30-41
%@ 2153-0378
%D 2016
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/jbpc.2016.71003
%X After the recent publication in the <i>Journal of Biophysical Chemistry</i> entitled ¡°Retracted HIV Study Provides New Information about the Status of the in Vitro Inhibition of DNA Replication by Back-bone Methylation¡±, it is of importance to review the results of Buck¡¯s group on the synthesis and conformation analyses of phosphate-methylated RNAs in order to afford information on the absence of a further investigation with regard to this <i>de facto</i> acceptable approach. In fact these compounds belong to the very first group of RNAs with a modified neutral backbone by phosphatemethylation. In contrast to the corresponding phosphate-methylated DNAs with a frozen B-conformation, the phosphate-methylated RNAs show an A-conformation. The latter is a prerequisite for duplex formation with (complementary) (natural) RNA. A number of experiments support this fundamental statement. After the HIV study was retracted, the overall results concerning the phosphate-methylated RNAs were published without mentioning Buck¡¯s initial proof of concept and his contributions. Generally, the (modified) dimer RNAs and DNAs possess a number of specific biophysical properties. A novel explanation is given for conflicting structural determinations.
%K Phosphate-Methylated RNA and DNA
%K Conformational Study
%K Replication and Transcription Inhibition
%K Chemistry of DNA Dimers during Crystallization
%K 5-Substituted Cytosines in DNA
%K Conflicting Structural Determinations
%K Duchenne
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=63521