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General discussions (Q&As) / Re: Problem of finding all base pairs in distorted DNA structure using 3DNA
« on: January 05, 2012, 06:21:52 pm »
Hi Difei,
Thanks for posting your question in the new 3DNA forum!
You've raised a very subtle, yet interesting and significant point w.r.t. to find_pair. There are several aspects to address the issue you experienced, as follows:
HTH,
Xiang-Jun
Thanks for posting your question in the new 3DNA forum!
You've raised a very subtle, yet interesting and significant point w.r.t. to find_pair. There are several aspects to address the issue you experienced, as follows:
- There is actually one more (undocumented) 'sanity' check for base pair than those specified in the file 'misc_3dna.par': the overlap area between the two bases. The current fixed setting is 0.01 Å2, i.e., virtually allowing for no overlap. The 'missing pairs' in the two sample structures all have overlap areas over the criterion, which explains why you cannot find it by manipulating the various parameters in 'misc_3dna.par'. See attached figure for the pair A12_G with B13_C in 'md5.1004.mod.pdb' you emailed me.
- From my understanding of the term, I certainly won't classify such extreme cases as base pairs: base-overlapping is associated with stacking (vertical) instead of pairing (plannar). That's why I've not documented this criterion, but internally checked for it.
- To 'force' such pairs, it is best to first run find_pair on the structure (or a representative from an ensemble) and then make manual changes as necessary. The analysis routines in 3DNA, analyze/cehs, will calculate relevant parameters accordingly (indeed, of any arbitrary pair). The topic has shown up repeatedly in the forum, especially with regard to the analysis of NMR ensemble or MD trajectories. See the section "Molecular dynamics simulations".
- To allow for more flexibility, it may be desirable (at least won't hurt) to have the overlap criterion also available in 'misc_3dna.par'. Do you want to try this? If so, please let me know your OS so I can provide you a test version.
HTH,
Xiang-Jun
