title: The effects of aging on fixed DNA.
abstract: Agarose-gel electrophoretic analysis was carried out to study the effect(s) of aging on fixed naked DNA as well as on the DNA part of fixed chromosomes. Results show that aging of fixed DNA produces alterations in molecular size; the alteration is more effective in naked DNA than in the DNA part of fixed chromosomes; and the alteration occurs to a greater extent in air-dried DNA than in DNA aged in fixative. Since B-mercaptoethanol is capable of preventing DNA alterations induced by air-drying, oxidative processes are invoked for explaining these findings as well as the effect(s) of aging on fixed cytological preparations.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Biologia Generale, Facolta di Medicina, Università di Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rossino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mezzanotte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005404:Fixatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D013997:Time Factors; D016707:Tissue Fixation
chemical_list: D005404:Fixatives; D004247:DNA