Kinetics of repeat propagation in the microgene polymerization reaction
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Ethylene Polymerizations Using Parallel Pressure Reactors and a Kinetic Analysis of Chain Transfer Polymerization
Published on: November 27, 2015
Mark Itsko1, Avinoam Rabinovitch, Arieh Zaritsky
1Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er-Sheva 84105, Israel. itskom@niehs.nih.gov
Abstract:
Repetitive DNA is a periodic copolymer with the intrinsic property of exponential propagation to longer repeats. Microgene polymerization reaction (MPR) is a model system in which a short nonrepetitive homo-duplex DNA evolves to multiple repetitive products during heat-cool cycles. The mechanism underlying this process involves staggered annealing of complementary DNA strands of variable lengths and polymerase-mediated filling-in of the generated overhangs. MPR is considered here as a process sharing common features with two polymerization types, chain-growth and step-growth, and significant distinctions from both types were highlighted. The involved reaction stages were formulated and a kinetic model was derived and tested experimentally. The model can quantitatively explain MPR propagation and be used as a good approximation for this phenomenon.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis
Most macromolecules are composed of single subunits, or building blocks, called monomers. The monomers combine with each other using covalent bonds to form larger molecules known as polymers.
Conversion of...
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

