0000000000273738
AUTHOR
C. Andrea Boicelli
Titration of poly(dA-dT) · poly(dA-dT) in solution at variable NaCl concentration
CD and uv absorption data showed that high molecular weight poly(dA-dT) . poly(dA-dT), at 298 K, undergoes an acid-induced transition from B-double helix to random coil in NaCl solutions of different concentrations, ranging from 0.005 to 0.600M. Similarly, titration of the polynucleotide with a strong base causes duplex-to-single strands transition. The base- and acid-induced transitions were both reversible by back-titration (with an acid or, respectively, with a base): the apparent pKa were the same in both directions. However, the number of protons per titratable site (adenine N1) required to reach half-denaturation was in great excess over the stoichiometric value; to a much larger exte…
Phospholipid-based reverse micelles.
Physicochemical investigations on the aggregation of phospholipids (mainly phosphatidylcholines) in organic solvents are reviewed and compared with the aggregation behaviour of phospholipids in aqueous medium. In particular we review the data showing that phosphatidylcholines (lecithins) form reverse micellar structures in certain apolar solvents. In these systems not only low molecular weight compounds but also catalytically active enzymes and entire cells can be solubilized. In addition, highly viscous phosphatidylcholine gels can be obtained in organic solvents upon solubilizing a critical amount of water. Generally, phospholipid-based reverse micelles can be regarded as thermodynamicall…
PolyAT chemical denaturation in w/o microemulsion
CD and UV spectroscopies have been used to investigate the effects caused by the addition of either strong acid-or base-containing microemulsions on the behaviour of the synthetic polynucleotide polyAT entrapped in the aqueous core of a cationic quaternary water-in-oil microemulsion (μE). The titrations were performed in the presence of variable concentrations of NaCl, in the range 0.00 to 0.60 M. In both cases, the primary effect was the reversible transition from B-double helix to random coil of the guest polynucleotide. However, in the microemulsive medium, the number of moles of protons (RH) and hydroxide ions (ROH) per mole of titrable sites are independent of the salt concentration bu…
Acid Titrations of poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) in Aqueous Solution and in a w/o Microemulsion
The model polynucleotide poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) (polyGC) was titrated with a strong acid (HCl) in aqueous unbuffered solutions and in the quaternary w/o microemulsion CTAB/n-pentanol/n-hexane/water. The titrations, performed at several concentrations of NaCl in the range 0.005 to 0.600 M, were followed by recording the modifications of the electronic absorption and of the CD spectra (210or = lambdaor =350 nm) upon addition of the acid. In solution, the polynucleotide undergoes two acid-induced transitions, neither of which corresponds to denaturation of the duplex to single coil. The first transition leads to the Hoogsteen type synG.C+ duplex, while the second leads to the C+.C duplex. The…