Effect of polycations on the transforming activity of various markers of Bacillus subtilis.

Polycations interact with DNA and form DNA-polycation complexes. The soluble and insoluble fractions of the DNA-polycation complexes were fractionated by centrifugation. The effect of polycations on the transforming activity of genetic markers of B. subtilis (single and double) have been tested. These markers are tryptophan, histidine, adenine, arginine and lysine. It is found that both parts of DNA in the supernatant and the precipitate of DNA-polycation complexes are biologically active. This means that the activity of the precipitated genetic markers by the different polycations was reserved.