title: The thermal denaturation of DNA: average length and composition of denatured areas.
abstract: A spectral study of melting curves of DNA ranging from 73 to 32% AT indicates that the base ratio of sequences melting within DNA are a linear function of temperature. A study of partially denatured DNA by electron microscopy, reversible renaturation and fractionation on hydroxylapatite suggests that the melting curve of DNA represents the melting of sequences which average 3-4 million daltons in length. These sequences appear to be a combination of two areas, one which is high in AT and denatures in the first three-quarters of the melting curve, and one which is high in GC and denatures in the final quarter. The length of these sequences appears to vary between 1.5-6 million daltons.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Holleman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001482:Base Composition; D002417:Cattle; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006358:Hot Temperature; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004247:DNA