Basic Principles in Nucleic Acid Chemistry V2

Basic Principles in Nuclear Acid Chemistry, Volume II presents the significant progress in nucleic acid research and its contribution and influence on various aspects of human life. This book contains five chapters and begins with the susceptibility of nucleic acids towards attack by chemical reagents whose reactions with polynucleotides have been studied. This topic is followed by a presentation of experimental techniques used to study the properties of nucleic acids. The following chapter discusses some basic features embodied in the polyribo- and poly-deoxyribonucleotide backbone chains; the possibility of rotation around backbone bonds in the ""random"" single-stranded form; and the short- and long-range interactions in idealized and real chains. This chapter also looks into the thermodynamic and polyelectrolyte aspects of nucleic acid behavior. A chapter describes the special features of the third class of DNA, namely, closed duplex DNA, in which covalent chain scissions are absent. The last chapter examines the intrinsic properties and the interaction of the dimers and oligomers, with special emphasis on the influence of the phosphodiester linkages on the conformation and interaction of these short segments of nucleic acids. This book is of great value to workers in biomedical research and to higher level biochemistry instructors.

List of Contributors Preface Contents of Other Volumes

1. Chemical Reactions of Polynucleotides and Nucleic Acids I. Reactivity of Polynucleotides II. Base Modification by Nucleophilic Species III. Base Modification by Electrophilic Species IV. Reactions Affecting the Internucleotide Linkage V. Influence of Conformation on Reactivity in Polynucleotides References
2. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy, Circular Dichroism, and Optical Rotatory Dispersion I. Theoretical Introduction II. Nucleotide Chromophores III. Experimental Techniques—Ultraviolet Absorption Spectra IV. Experimental Techniques—Optical Activity References
3. Hydrodynamic and Thermodynamic Studies I. Introduction II. Basic Theoretical Aspects III. Specific Topics References
4. Circular DNA I. General Introduction II. The Topological Constraint III. The Special Thermodynamic Properties of Closed Double-Stranded DNA IV. The Tertiary Structure V. The Helix-Coil Transition VI. Reactions with Intercalating Substances VII. The Measurement of Superhelix Density VIII. Other Factors Which Affect the Superhelix Density IX. The Enzymic Preparation of Closed DNA of Preselected Superhelix Density X. Heterogeneity in Superhelix Density XL Complex Forms of Closed Circular DNA XII. Closed Circular Replicative Intermediates XIII. Circular DNA as a Substrate in Nucleic Acid Enzymology XIV. The Occurrence of Closed Circular DNA Glossary of Terms Used in the Description of Closed Circular DNA References
5. Dinucleoside Monophosphates, Dinucleotides, and Oligonucleotides I. Intrinsic Properties II. Interaction between Dinucleotides and Oligonucleotides III. Interaction between Oligonucleotides and Polynucleotides References Author Index Subject Index