title: Raman scattering from nucleic acids adsorbed at a silver electrode.
abstract: Adsorption of nucleic acids at a silver electrode polarized to -0.6 to -0.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) was investigated by means of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. Single-stranded polyriboadenylic acid and thermally denaturated DNA adsorbed at the silver electrode yield two intense bands at 734 and 1335 cm-1 on the SERS spectra. These bands, assigned to the vibrations of adenine residue rings, were much less intense if the SERS spectra were recorded for double-helical complex polyadenylic X polyuridylic acid and native DNA. Moreover, the courses of alkaline denaturation of DNA and its digestion by deoxyribonuclease I were observed by SERS spectroscopy. The results were interpreted as support for the view that intact double-helical segments of nucleic acids are not denatured or destabilized due to their adsorption at the positively charged and roughened surface.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004247:DNA; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000378:metabolism; D004566:Electrodes; D007700:Kinetics; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011131:Polyribonucleotides; D012834:Silver; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods; D013499:Surface Properties; D013950:Thymus Gland
chemical_list: D011131:Polyribonucleotides; D012834:Silver; D004247:DNA; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I