ISSN:
0006-3525
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
The heats of the conformational conversion ΔHc of polyuridylic acid (polyU) in the presence of various cations were determined using a differential scanning microcalorimeter and an isothermal mixing calorimeter. The first method yields a value of ΔHc = 5.2 kcal/mol of base pairs, the second one a value of ΔHc = 6.4 kcal/mol of base pairs. Knowing ΔHc and the maximal slope of the degree of conversion, which was determined from the temperature dependence of the absorbance of polyU solutions at 260 nm, we were able to evaluate the parameter of cooperativity σ. From the relation σ = eΔFstack/RT the stacking free energy ΔFstack could be calculated. Dividing the apparent enthalpy of conversion by the calorimetrically measured enthalpy yields the cooperative length N0 of one helical segment at the midpoint of conversion. The results show that the type of the cation has no influence on the magnitude of ΔHc, whereas the cooperativity of polyU is influenced by the various cations.
Additional Material:
3 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bip.1974.360130116
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