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Theory of a rapid method for determining molecular weights of giant molecules
Author(s) -
Kotaka Tadao,
Baldwin Robert L.
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
biopolymers
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.556
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1097-0282
pISSN - 0006-3525
DOI - 10.1002/bip.1969.360070109
Subject(s) - chemistry , diffusion , ultracentrifuge , fourier transform , boundary (topology) , concentration gradient , fourier series , molecule , boundary value problem , mathematical analysis , thermodynamics , physics , chromatography , mathematics , organic chemistry
A new method is proposed for finding molecular weights from the boundary condition of the ultracentrifuge. The method is more rapid than the conventional Archibald method by at least one order of magnitude and should be especially useful for giant molecules with small diffusion coefficients. It employs a preset concentration gradient. A theoretical study of the method has been made by obtaining solutions to the Lamm equation analogous to the “mirror image” solution (for early times) and the Fourier expansion solution (for late times) of Mason and Weaver. Numerical examples of theoretical results are given, and the errors are discussed. Centrifugation in a preset linear gradient can also be used to reduce the time needed to reach equilibrium.