Journal of Biosciences

, Volume 6, Issue 6, pp 817–821 | Cite as

Influence of formamide on the thermal stability of DNA

  • Chanchal Sadhu
  • Santanu Dutta
  • K. P. Gopinathan
Article

Abstract

The utility of formamide in the denaturation and renaturation of DNA has been examined. The melting temperature of duplex DNA is lowered by 0·6°C per per cent formamide. The depression of melting temperature is independent of the GC content. Formamide also increases the width of the thermal transition. Upto 30%, it does not affect the rate of DNA reassociation

Keywords

DNA melting formamide Tm DNA base composition DNA reassociation 

Abbreviations used

EDTA

Ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid

RNA

ribonucleic acid

SDS

sodium dodecyl sulphate

Ti

temperature of incubation

Tm

temperature midpoint of melting

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Copyright information

© Indian Academy of Sciences 1984

Authors and Affiliations

  • Chanchal Sadhu
    • 1
  • Santanu Dutta
    • 1
    • 2
  • K. P. Gopinathan
    • 1
  1. 1.Microbiology and Cell Biology LaboratoryIndian Institute of ScienceBangaloreIndia
  2. 2.Molecular Biophysics UnitIndian Institute of ScienceBangaloreIndia

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