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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. But it was not possible to observe locations of ...
Nucleic acid metabolism is a collective term that refers to the variety of chemical reactions by which nucleic acids (DNA and/or RNA) are either synthesized or degraded. Nucleic acids are polymers (so-called "biopolymers") made up of a variety of monomers called nucleotides.
The most famous example is the hyperchromicity of DNA that occurs when the DNA duplex is denatured. [1] The UV absorption is increased when the two single DNA strands are being separated, either by heat or by addition of denaturant or by increasing the pH level. The opposite, a decrease of absorbance is called hypochromicity.
The underlying force driving these reactions is the Gibbs free energy of the reactants relative to the products. If donor and acceptor (the reactants) are of higher free energy than the reaction products, the electron transfer may occur spontaneously. The Gibbs free energy is the energy available ("free") to do work.
To precipitate the DNA out of the water, the negatively charged phosphate groups of the DNA backbone are neutralized by the addition of positively charged ions from a salt. But because of the high polarity of water, illustrated by its high dielectric constant of 80.1 (at 20 °C), the positively charged ions are shielded and unable to interact ...
Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, [1] [2] is an inorganic compound with the formula NaOH.It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations Na + and hydroxide anions OH −.
DNA synthesis is catalyzed by a family of DNA polymerases that require four deoxynucleoside triphosphates, a template strand, and a primer with a free 3'OH in which to incorporate nucleotides. [ 23 ] In order for DNA replication to occur, a replication fork is created by enzymes called helicases which unwind the DNA helix. [ 23 ]