Wu, Feng. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 38-44). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Title Page --- p.i / Thesis Committee --- p.ii / Acknowledgment --- p.iv / Table of Contents --- p.v / List of Figures --- p.vii / List of Abbreviations and Symbols --- p.xi / Abstract (English version) --- p.xii / Abstract (Chinese version) --- p.xiii / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Significance of DNA CCTG repeats --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Objectives of this work --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- DNA structure --- p.3 / Chapter 2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1 --- Sample design --- p.5 / Chapter 2.2 --- Sample preparation --- p.5 / Chapter 2.3 --- NMR spectroscopy --- p.6 / Chapter 2.4 --- Resonance assignment --- p.7 / Chapter 3 --- NMR Structural Studies of (CCTG)3 --- p.9 / Chapter 3.1 --- Overview --- p.9 / Chapter 3.2 --- NMR resonance assignments --- p.9 / Chapter 3.3 --- Formation of two-residue CT-loop in the middle repeat of (CCTG)3 --- p.12 / Chapter 3.4 --- C-bulge and T.T mispair in (CCTG)3 hairpin stem region --- p.13 / Chapter 3.5 --- Summary --- p.15 / Chapter 4 --- NMR Structural Studies of (CCTG)4 --- p.16 / Chapter 4.1 --- Overview --- p.16 / Chapter 4.2 --- Conformational exchange in (CCTG)4 --- p.16 / Chapter 4.3 --- Formation of two-residue CT-loops in different repeats of (CCTG)4 --- p.17 / Chapter 4.4 --- Mutational studies of (CCTG)4 --- p.19 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Mutational studies on the 1st repeat of (CCTG)4: (CCTG)4-C2T --- p.19 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Mutational studies on the 2nd repeat of (CCTG)4：(CCTG)4-C6T --- p.21 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Mutational studies on the 3rd repeat of (CCTG)4：(CCTG)4-C 10T --- p.26 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- Mutational studies on the 4th repeat of (CCTG)4: (CCTG)4-C14T --- p.28 / Chapter 4.5 --- Summary --- p.33 / Chapter 5 --- Conclusions and Future Works --- p.35 / References --- p.38