TY - JOUR
T1 - Determination of the base composition of deoxyribonucleic acid from its buoyant density in CsCl
AU - Schildkraut, Carl L.
AU - Marmur, Julius
AU - Doty, Paul
PY - 1962
Y1 - 1962
N2 - A comprehensive study of the buoyant density of DNA as a function of composition has been made. The linear relation previously reported has been confirmed. Based on a value of 1·710 g cm−3 for DNA from Escherichia coli the following relation was obtained from the best fit of measurements on 51 different DNA samples: ρ=1⋅660+0⋅098(GC) where ρ refers to buoyant density and (GC) to the mole fraction of guanine plus cytosine. On this basis the composition of DNA from 36 other sources, not previously reported, has been estimated. Several specific observations were made. Bimodal distributions in the density-gradient band patterns were found in DNA from calf thymus and salmon sperm. The DNA of the commonly studied T-even bacteriophages exhibits altered densities due to the presence of gluco-sylated hydroxymethylcytosine. The DNA of φX174 phage is abnormally heavier suggesting less base-pairing than normal denatured, single-stranded DNA.
AB - A comprehensive study of the buoyant density of DNA as a function of composition has been made. The linear relation previously reported has been confirmed. Based on a value of 1·710 g cm−3 for DNA from Escherichia coli the following relation was obtained from the best fit of measurements on 51 different DNA samples: ρ=1⋅660+0⋅098(GC) where ρ refers to buoyant density and (GC) to the mole fraction of guanine plus cytosine. On this basis the composition of DNA from 36 other sources, not previously reported, has been estimated. Several specific observations were made. Bimodal distributions in the density-gradient band patterns were found in DNA from calf thymus and salmon sperm. The DNA of the commonly studied T-even bacteriophages exhibits altered densities due to the presence of gluco-sylated hydroxymethylcytosine. The DNA of φX174 phage is abnormally heavier suggesting less base-pairing than normal denatured, single-stranded DNA.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0022-2836(62)80100-4
DO - 10.1016/S0022-2836(62)80100-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 14498379
AN - SCOPUS:0011933622
SN - 0022-2836
VL - 4
SP - 430
EP - 443
JO - Journal of Molecular Biology
JF - Journal of Molecular Biology
IS - 6
ER -