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Osmotic effectors and DNA structure: effect of glycine on precipitation of DNA by multivalent cations
S Flock1, R Labarbe, C Houssier
1Laboratoire de Chimie Macromoléculaire et Chimie Physique, Université de Liège, Sart-Tilman (B6), Belgium.
Abstract:
We have investigated the effect of glycine (an organic osmolyte) on DNA precipitation induced by spermine4+, spermidine3+ and Tb3+ addition, using circular dichroism (CD), UV spectroscopy (UV), and electric linear dichroism (ELD) techniques. DNA precipitation by the three compounds is perturbed by glycine: more spermine4+, spermidine3+ and Tb3+ must be added to obtain the same extent of precipitation as compared to the behaviour in absence of this organic osmolyte. It seems that glycine has a general effect on the DNA environment. Calculations based on experimental results and Manning's counterion condensation theory show that glycine could modify the electrostatic environment of DNA as a consequence of a change in dielectric constant.
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