Biophysical Journal 70: 1456-1465 (1996)
© 1996 the Biophysical Society

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Dielectric constant and ionic strength effects on DNA precipitation.

Laboratoire de Chimie Macromoléculaire et Chimie Physique, Université de Liège, Belgium.

ABSTRACT

We have investigated the effect of different zwitterionic compounds on DNA precipitation induced by spermine4+. Glycine, beta-alanine, 4-aminobutyric acid, and 6-aminocaproic acid have shown an increasing capacity to attenuate DNA precipitation. This protection effect has been correlated with the dielectric constant increase of their corresponding solutions. Calculations based on these experimental data and counter-ion condensation theory have confirmed the importance of this parameter for DNA-ion interactions and precipitation mechanisms. We have also observed a resolubilization of DNA in the presence of 6-aminocaproic acid at high spermine4+ concentration and in the presence of glycine at high spermidine3+ concentration. This could be explained by an increase of screening effect with polyamine concentration.

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