[The hierarchy of complexes and compact structures of trivaline with nucleic acids. I. Interaction of trivaline with...

It was shown that trivaline-poly(U) complexes have no appreciable fluorescence at any peptide concentration if the polymer concentration is less than critical. By electron microscopy it was shown that dsDNA molecules undergo a second step of compactization if polymer and peptide concentrations are high enough. The diameter of this rod-like particles is over 40 nm. If the polymer concentration is less than critical, dsDNA molecules form with trivaline extended structures of dissimilar morphology. We propose a scheme of trivaline-dsDNA complexes and compact structure formation, beginning from a dimer complex. It is consistent with the results of equilibrium dialysis, fluorescence, electron microscopy, flow linear and circular dichroism measurements.