title: Thermal melting studies of ligand DNA interactions.
abstract: A simple thermal melting experiment may be used to demonstrate the stabilization of a given structure by a ligand (usually a small molecule, sometimes a peptide). Preparation of the sample is straightforward, and the experiment itself requires an inexpensive apparatus. Furthermore, reasonably low amounts of sample are required. A qualitative analysis of the data is simple: An increase in the melting temperature (T(m)) indicates preferential binding to the folded form as compared to the unfolded form. However, it is perilous to derive an affinity constant from an increase in T(m) as other factors play a role.
authors.affiliation: Equipe Santé, Laboratoire Régulation et Dynamique des Génomes, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle USM 503, INSERM UR 565, CNRS UMR 5153, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Aurore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guédin
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lacroix
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mergny
mesh_terms: D053000:Analytic Sample Preparation Methods; D001483:Base Sequence; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013696:Temperature; D044366:Transition Temperature
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D004247:DNA