Title: Residual transforming activity of denatured Haemophilus influenzae DNA
Abstract: When transforming Haemophilus influenzae DNA is denatured, a small percentage of its biological activity survives denaturation. It can be shown, by using hydroxyapatite chromatography, that the residual transforming activity is carried by about 10% of DNA molecules, which exhibit the chromatographic properties of native DNA and, therefore, can be separated from the bulk of inactive, denatured molecules. The “native-like” fraction of DNA was investigated for its melting behavior, reversibility, renaturability, concentration-response curves and competitive ability against native DNA. In all these properties, this fraction is similar, yet not identical, with native DNA. It has been shown that the different properties of native-like DNA, compared to native DNA, cannot be solely explained by the fact that native-like DNA is contaminated by denatured material. The native-like molecules are, therefore, intrinsically different from native molecules; they appear to have disordered regions and/or single-stranded ends in otherwise double-stranded structures; furthermore, they are heterogeneous in their secondary structures. The native-like fraction seems to be formed by molecules the strands of which never came apart during the melting process, perhaps because of the existence of inter-strand cross-links of unknown nature.
Publication Year: 1968
Publication Date: 1968-03-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
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Cited By Count: 37
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