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Physico‐chemical description of a condensed form of DNA
Author(s) -
Dore E.,
Frontali C.,
Gratton E.
Publication year - 1972
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.1972.360110210
Subject(s) - chemistry , hyperchromicity , absorbance , dna , ionic strength , crystallography , dynamic light scattering , chemical physics , analytical chemistry (journal) , aqueous solution , organic chemistry , chromatography , chemical engineering , biochemistry , nanoparticle , engineering
Abstract When exposed to a low pH, in various ionic strength conditions and in sufficiently dilute solutions, DNA undergoes a transition, revealed by an increase in optical density. A careful analysis shows that, associated with this transition, there is an effective decrease in absorbance, overcompensated by an increase in scattering. The conditions for the new transition can be summarized conveniently by a graph in a pH–Na + molarity diagram. If the pH of a DNA solution is progressively lowered at constant Na + concentration, one finds first the melting transition (I), and at lower pH values, the new transition (II). If the same experiment is performed on pre‐denatured DNA, only transition II will be found. If native DNA is brought directly to the low pH conditions, without allowing it to denature irreversibly at intermediate pH values, transition II is reversible (with a small hysteresis effect). DNA, initially native, neutralized after prolonged exposures to the low pH, recovers the buoyant density value of native DNA, along with the absorption and scattering properties of the native state. The experiments are consistent with the interpretation that a new state exists in which DNA, still double stranded, assumes a very compact shape (of the order of 1500 Å in diameter for T2 DNA), with a hyperchromicity value of 10–14% above the native value. Nearly monodisperse suspensions of DNA molecule in this apparent state may be obtained only at very low concentrations (∼0.25 μg/ml). At 1 μg DNA/ml aggregation is noticeable. The possible connection with the condition of intraphage DNA is discussed.