pH-induced conformational changes of DNA

The electrophoretic mobility of calf thymus DNA has been measured in aqueous buffered solutions as a function of pH. In the pH range 3.7–3.0, two electrophoretic species appear. The faster one migrates with the mobility of native DNA, the slower one migrates with a mobility close to that of thermally denatured DNA. The ratio of the two species varies with pH. Decreasing the pH increase the relative amount of the slower-moving component. These results may be interpreted by assuming that the DNA used in these experiments has a broad heterogeneity of base composition and that the conformational stability with respect to pH increases with increasing G + C content.     

The effect of valinomycin and nigericin on the efficacy of bacteriophage infection of staphylococcal cells

The effect of ionophore antibiotics, valinomycin and nigericin, on the generation of the membrane potential, the pH gradient and the efficacy of phage infection in tetracycline-resistant staphylococci has been studied. Valinomycin at a concentration of 0.5 microM induces the dissipation of the membrane potential, and nigericin at a concentration of 12.0 microM decreases the value of the pH gradient on the membrane of staphylococci. The separate use of antibiotics has no essential influence on the efficacy of phage infection. The combined use of valinomycin and nigerimycin produces the maximum inhibition of phage infection (64.5%) at the stage of the introduction of DNA into the bacterial cell, which is indicative of a definite role played by the membrane potential and the pH gradient in the transport of phage DNA into staphylococcal cells.     

The decisive role of the water structure in changes of conformation of nucleic acids.

This review summarizes data on the structure and properties of water under normal conditions, at high salt concentration and under high pressure. We correlate the observed conformational transitions in nucleic acids with changes in water structure and activity, and suggest a mechanism of conformational transitions of nucleic acid involving these changes. We conclude that the Z-DNA form is induced only at low water activity caused by high salt concentrations and/or high pressure.