Thermal transition of core particle is not a two-state process
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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
M Erard1, G de Murcia, A Mazen
1Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, Laboratoire de Biophysique, 67084 Strasbourg Cedex, France.
Abstract:
Thermal transition of core particle which occurs before melting of DNA and can be followed by circular dichroism is not a two-state process; it is the result of two processes which cannot be dissociated in static experiments: unfolding of core particles is immediately followed by their aggregation. It is thus impossible to get thermodynamic parameters of core particle unfolding from its thermal transition monitored by circular dichroism. Thermal denaturation kinetics of core particles gives some information about their stability. Finally core particle structure is more stable in chromatin than in its isolated state.
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