base-pair breathing

English

Alternative forms

• base pair breathing

Noun

base-pair breathing (uncountable)

1. (genetics) The transient, lateral opening of a base pair in a nucleic acid molecule as a result of thermal motion or the presence of a defect
   • 2013, Michael G. Simic, Mechanisms of DNA Damage and Repair: Implications for Carcinogenesis and Risk Assessment‎^[1]:

     Intercalation is an energetically favourable process, and thus relates to the dynamic base-pair breathing properties of DNA itself.