Open AccessA Study of DNA, Partially Denatured DNA and Protein‐DNA Complexes in the Polyethyleneglycol‐Dextran Phase System
Author(s) -
Pettijohn D.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1967.tb19495.x
Subject(s) - dna , denaturation (fissile materials) , chemistry , dextran , dna polymerase , dna clamp , biochemistry , rna , microbiology and biotechnology , biophysics , biology , gene , reverse transcriptase , nuclear chemistry
Partition properties of DNA and protein‐DNA complexes in the polyethyleneglycol‐dextran phase system are described which suggest several preparative and possibly analytical applications. The partition coefficients ( K ) of linear and circular double‐stranded DNAs are significantly reduced if relatively small region(s) of local denaturation are introduced into the DNA. The K value of polyoma DNA I, the twisted circular form, is approximately 10 fold less than the values of II and III, the open circular and linear DNA forms. DNA complexed with several different basic proteins or polyamines did not partition differently from free DNA; however, the complex with chymotrypsin or RNA polymerase had greatly reduced K values. The saturated RNA polymerase‐DNA complex was indistinguishable from heat denatured DNA in its partition properties.