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Nucleic Acids Research, 1980, Vol. 8, No. 12 2807-2822
© 1980

Articles

Evidence for an increase of DNA contour length at low ionic strength

K. Geller and K.E. Reinert

Academy of Sciences of GDR, Central Institute of Microbiology and Experimental Therapy, Department of Biophysical Chemistry DDR-69, Jena, GDR

Received April 10, 1980. The polyion chain expansion of DNA was studied by viscometry within the Na+ concentration range cs=0.002 M to 0.4 M. The DNA molecular weights M were between 0.5x106 and 13x106 and 13x106. The relative change of intrinsic viscosity [{eta}] is linearly correlated to cs–1/2 with a slope that increases with increasing M. This behaviour reflects the, predominance of helix stiffening in chain expansion. At cs–1/2 > 0.01–1/2 M–1/2 (Debye-Hückel screening radius 1/æ>(1/æ)*=3nm) the relative change of [{eta}] rises with a steeper slopa. This effect increases with decreasing M suggesting that helix lengthening contributes to the chain expansion. Our model enables us to interpret other ionic-strength dependent effects known from literature. The start of the significant duplex elongation at (1/æ)* can be correlated to the polyion-charge arrangement. In accordance with our interpretation (1/æ)* is found to be greater for DNA-interoalator complexes.


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