Nucleic Acids: Hydration

Abstract Water is an integral part of DNA structure, and it plays an important role in dictating conformational preferences and binding properties of nucleic acids. Although in recent years a wealth of information on the physical properties of water in the vicinity of nucleic acids has accumulated, our understanding of how water interacts with nucleic acids and how it mediates DNA recognition by small ligands and DNA‐binding proteins remains limited. In this article, we review the current state of DNA hydration research. In particular, we discuss structural, dynamic, and thermodynamic aspects of nucleic acid hydration. We also present an overview of the structural and thermodynamic role of water in modulating protein–DNA recognition and highlight the importance of hydration as a major contributor to the energetics of nucleic acid recognition. We emphasize the need for additional physico‐chemical studies of DNA hydration by experimental and theoretic scientists.