Biopolym. Cell. 2007; 23(2):122-129.
http://dx.doi.org/10.7124/bc.00075E
Molecular Biophysics
Electrophoretic study of conformational transitions in poly(G) as a function of monovalent cations
1Zarudnaya M. I., 1Stepanyugin A. V., 1Potyahaylo A. L., 1Hovorun D. M.
  1. Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine
    150, Akademika Zabolotnoho Str., Kyiv, Ukraine, 03680

Abstract

Conformational transitions in poly(G) as a function of salt con­centration has been studied first by the method of electrophoresis. It was shown that only one band of polymer is observed at con­centration of monovalent cations > 10 mM. This band corresponds to the four-stranded form of poly(G). At lower salt concentration two overlapping bands are observed. The band with lower electro­phoretic mobility corresponds to four-stranded form of polymer and the band with higher mobility corresponds to single-stranded form. Electronic absorption spectrums of several homopolyribonucleotides after their staining with toluidine blue in agarose gels have been presented. It was discovered that the shape of spectrum depends both on polymer and its form. The Δλmax of absorption spectrums of four-stranded and single-stranded forms of poly(G) is about 20 nM.
Keywords: poly(G), conformational transitions of homopolyribonucleotides, electrophoresis, toluidine blue, electronic absorption spectrums
Full text: (PDF, in Russian)

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