Issue 1, 2012

Probing the structure of long DNA molecules in solution using synchrotron radiation linear dichroism

Abstract

Linear dichroism (LD), a spectroscopic method for aligned samples, has been used with a synchrotron radiation source to reveal insights into the structure and stability of DNA with increasing salt concentrations (thus stabilizing the base pairing) and increasing temperature while remaining below the melting point (thus destabilizing the base pairing). Measurements have been made from 350 nm to 182 nm, and the spectral changes observed quantified using a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm, which uses statistical methods to fit to experimental data. Based on literature H–D exchange experiments, we surmise that the cause of the spectral variations is the induction of transient single stranding of tracts in the DNA polymer, particularly those with significant content of the weaker AT base pairs. More detailed analysis of the LD data will require better nucleotide transition polarization assignments.

Graphical abstract: Probing the structure of long DNA molecules in solution using synchrotron radiation linear dichroism

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Jul 2011
Accepted
24 Oct 2011
First published
16 Nov 2011

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2012,14, 353-366

Probing the structure of long DNA molecules in solution using synchrotron radiation linear dichroism

M. Rittman, S. V. Hoffmann, E. Gilroy, M. R. Hicks, B. Finkenstadt and A. Rodger, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2012, 14, 353 DOI: 10.1039/C1CP22371B

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements