Eleclrooptical study of the electric polarizability of rodlike fragments of DNA

✍ Scribed by C. Hornick; G. Weill

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1971
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 667 KB
• Volume: 10
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0006-3525
• DOI: 10.1002/bip.360101124

✦ Synopsis

The aiiisol ropy of electrical polarizability of rodlike fragiiieiits of I )NA has beeii studied by a number of electro-optical methods: Kerr effect (combined with flow birefriiigerice), light scattering, dichroism, and fluorescence in an electric field. The most sensitive technique (Kerr effect) has been used to study the variation of the polarizability with the nature and concentration of counterions. DNA fragments constitute a truly rigid polyelectrolyte of known structure. The value obtained can then be quantitatively compared to the predictions of those of the theories of the longitudinal polariaability of rigid polyelect.rolytes which are based oil true molecular parameters. The comparison emphasizes the role of the couriterioii-coutiterioii repulsion. Oosawa's theory seems to represent the best approach but fails to explain the differences observed between monovalent aiid divalent ions.