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In biochemistry, denaturation is a process in which proteins or nucleic acids lose folded structure present in their native state due to various factors, including application of some external stress or compound, such as a strong acid or base, a concentrated inorganic salt, an organic solvent (e.g., alcohol or chloroform), agitation and radiation, or heat. [3]
In the earliest forms of denaturation mapping, DNA was denatured by heating in presence of formaldehyde [1] or glyoxal [3] and visualized using electron microscopy. Dyes that selectively bind to double stranded DNA like ethidium bromide could be used to monitor the extent of denaturation.
Nucleic acids are often denatured by including urea in the buffer, while proteins are denatured using sodium dodecyl sulfate, usually as part of the SDS-PAGE process. For full denaturation of proteins, it is also necessary to reduce the covalent disulfide bonds that stabilize their tertiary and quaternary structure , a method called reducing PAGE.
Denaturation may refer to: . Denaturation (biochemistry), a structural change in macromolecules caused by extreme conditions Denaturation (fissile materials), transforming fissile materials so that they cannot be used in nuclear weapons
Hyperchromicity can be used to track the condition of DNA as temperature changes. The transition/melting temperature (T m) is the temperature where the absorbance of UV light is 50% between the maximum and minimum, i.e. where 50% of the DNA is denatured. A ten fold increase of monovalent cation concentration increases the temperature by 16.6 °C.
The sample to analyze is optionally mixed with a chemical denaturant if so desired, usually SDS for proteins or urea for nucleic acids. SDS is an anionic detergent that denatures secondary and non–disulfide–linked tertiary structures, and additionally applies a negative charge to each protein in proportion to its mass.
According to the central dogma of molecular biology, the DNA in a cell is transcribed to produce RNA, which is then translated to produce a protein. Thousands of proteins are encoded in an organism's genome , and the proteins present in a cell cooperatively carry out many functions to support the life of the cell.
This glossary of biology terms is a list of definitions of fundamental terms and concepts used in biology, the study of life and of living organisms.It is intended as introductory material for novices; for more specific and technical definitions from sub-disciplines and related fields, see Glossary of cell biology, Glossary of genetics, Glossary of evolutionary biology, Glossary of ecology ...