Hofmeister series and ionic effects of alkali metal ions on DNA conformation transition in normal and less polarised water solvent

Normal and less polarised water models are used as the solvent to investigate Hofmeister effects and alkali metal ionic effects on dodecamer d(CGCGAATTCGCG) B-DNA with atomic dynamics simulations. As normal water solvent is replaced by less polarised water, the Hofmeister series of alkali metal ions is changed from Li+ > Na+ ≃ K+ ≃ Cs+ ≃ Rb+ to Li+ > Na+ > K+ > Rb+ > Cs+. In less polarised water, DNA experiences the B→A conformational transition for the lighter alkali metal counterions (Li+, Na+ and K+). However, it keeps B form for the heavier ions (Rb+ and Cs+). We find that the underlying cause of the conformation transition for these alkali metal ions except K+ is the competition between water molecules and counterions coupling to the free oxygen atoms of the phosphate groups. For K+ ions, the ‘economics’ of phosphate hydration and ‘spine of hydration’ are both concerned with the DNA helixes changing.