Long range H-bond specific interactions between nucleosides

Abstract

Molecular recognition, of which nucleoside pairing is the best known example, usually involves hydrogen bonding. The binding energies of nucleosides have previously been measured, but the range of the specific forces is not known, and so is measured here. The range is of interest because it is presumably related to the dynamics of association. This is not only of intrinsic interest, but also potentially important for applications in biomolecular engineering.