Chromatography of transforming deoxyribonucleic acid on methylated albumin and by gel filtration

1. Native DNA from two strains of Bacillus subtilis was chromatographed by stepwise elution from MAK (methylated albumin on kieselguhr). 2. Transforming activity was confined to two out of the three main fractions, activity being distributed between the two peaks differently for DNA from the different strains. 3. Fractionation of DNA from both strains on 2% agarose gel gave two components. Approx. 75% of the material was eluted within the void volume of the column. Approx. 25% of the material consisted of degradation products of lower molecular weight. 4. Chromatography on MAK of the material of high molecular weight eluted from agarose gel gave a number of peaks differing in molecular weight, indicating that degradation of the DNA takes place during chromatography on MAK. 5. The distribution of transforming activity among the fractions from MAK suggests that degradation occurs preferentially in certain regions of the DNA.