Effects of compensatory solutes on DNA and chromatin structural organization in solution.
We investigated the effect of glycine and other osmotic effectors on DNA and chromatin precipitation by mono-, di- and multivalent cations and histone H1. The addition of these compounds drastically reduces the precipitation effects with an efficiency in the order taurine > glycine > proline and sorbitol > inositol > betaine. Aminocarboxylic acids with increasing distance between the charged C- and N-terminal groups displayed enhanced efficiency in the protection effect against DNA precipitation. We interpreted these observations on the basis of Manning's counterion condensation theory, taking into account the increase in dielectric constant upon osmotic effector addition. 23Na-NMR was used to evidence sodium counterions release as a result of this increase in dielectric constant.
Houssier
C
C
Laboratoire de Chimie Macromoléculaire et Chimie Physique (CHIMAPHY), Université de Liège, Belgium. C.Houssier@ulg.ac.be
Gilles
R
R
Flock
S
S
D000818:Animals; D002412:Cations; D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D002645:Chickens; D002843:Chromatin / Q000737:chemistry*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D005998:Glycine; D006657:Histones; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009995:Osmosis; D051381:Rats; D012964:Sodium; D012996:Solutions; D013096:Spermine
D002412:Cations; D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; D012996:Solutions; D013096:Spermine; D004247:DNA; D012964:Sodium; D005998:Glycine