Karst Hoogsteen (October 1, 1923 – August 10, 2015)[1] was a Dutch-born American biochemist famous for noting a new base-pairing form in DNA, now called Hoogsteen base pairs.[3] These base pairings intercede in the Watson–Crick base pairing, forging a base pair 'triplex'. The base pairs use the N7 nitrogen atom as the acceptor, rather than the N1 as observed in Watson-Crick base pairing. This leads to a twisted, non-linear arrangement.
Karst Hoogsteen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 October 1923 |
| Died | 10 August 2015 (aged 91) |
| Nationality | Dutch, American |
| Alma mater | University of Groningen |
| Known for | Hoogsteen base pairs |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | |
| Institutions | California Institute of Technology, Merck Sharp and Dohme[1] |
| Thesis | The crystal structure of trismethylsulfonylmethane-NH4 (May 1957[2]) |
| Doctoral advisor | Pieter Terpstra[2] |