Dehydration from conserved stem regions is fundamental for ligand-dependent conformational transition of the adenine-specific riboswitch

Conformational dynamics and observed equilibrium constants for ligand binding of the adenine-specific riboswitch (add-A riboswitch) in the absence of Mg2+ and presence of various concentrations of polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of 200 indicated that 54.2 water molecules were released from P2 and P3 stem regions of the add-A riboswitch during conformational transition upon the binding of 2-aminopurine, an analog of the natural ligand adenine.