Analysis of peculiarities in nucleotides disposition in the origin of chromosome replication-oriC from Escherichia coli

Along with symmetrical features (palindromes, direct and inverted repeats), periodicities in the disposition of nucleotides in the origin of chromosom e replication oriC from E.coli were studied by means of Fourier analysis. P eaks corresponding to the periods T = 2, 17, 95-100 nucleotides are the hig hest in the Fourier spectrum of oriC. Peaks corresponding to the periods T = 3, 11, 19, 13, 24, 27, 28, 41, 79-81 nucleotides are also prominent, but not so high. Thus, the main periodicities of the oriC spectrum of are not m ultiple of the B-DNA sugar-phosphate backbone period, which destabilize DNA at oriC and contributes to the spontaneous unwinding of DNA. The differenc es between the Fourier spectrum of oriC and those of regions adjacent to or iC are demonstrated.