A LIQUID-CRYSTALLINE PHASE IN SPERMIDINE-CONDENSED DNA

被引：86

作者：

SIKORAV, JL

PELTA, J

LIVOLANT, F

机构：

[1] UNIV PARIS 11,CNRS,URA D0002,PHYS SOLIDES LAB,F-91405 ORSAY,FRANCE

[2] CEA,CTR ETUD SACLAY,DEPT BIOL CELLULAIRE & MOLEC,SERV BIOCHIM & GENET MOLEC,F-91191 GIF SUR YVETTE,FRANCE

来源：

BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL | 1994年 / 67卷 / 04期

关键词：

D O I：

10.1016/S0006-3495(94)80640-X

中图分类号：

Q6 [生物物理学];

学科分类号：

071011 ;

摘要：

Over a large range of salt and spermidine concentrations, short DNA fragments precipitated by spermidine (a polyamine) sediment in a pellet from a dilute isotropic supernatant. We report here that the DNA-condensed phase consists of a cholesteric liquid crystal in equilibrium with a more concentrated phase. These results are discussed according to Flory's theory for the ordering of rigid polymers. The liquid crystal described here corresponds to an ordering in the presence of attractive interactions, in contrast with classical liquid crystalline DNA. Polyamines are often used in vitro to study the functional properties of DNA. We suggest that the existence of a liquid crystalline state in spermidine-condensed DNA is relevant to these studies.

引用

页码：1387 / 1392

页数：6

共 44 条

[31] DIRECT MEASUREMENT OF THE INTERMOLECULAR FORCES BETWEEN COUNTERION-CONDENSED DNA DOUBLE HELICES - EVIDENCE FOR LONG-RANGE ATTRACTIVE HYDRATION FORCES [J].