Counterion-type characteristic effects on intrinsic bending components of calf thymus DNA; hydrodynamic investigations.

This paper stresses structural differences in A.T clusters of the ammonium salt of calf thymus (ct) DNA (ctNH4DNA) and the respective sodium salt, ctNaDNA. Sequence mediated intrinsic helix bends of ctNaDNA, distributed along the molecule partially randomly and partially phased with the helix screw (accompanying paper), are enhanced in ctNH4DNA. Additionally, the number of the most strongly bent segments (of A-tract character) is raised in ctNH4DNA by a counterion mediated shift of the equilibrium between at least two local DNA conformations. Nevertheless, the apparent DNA elongation, induced by the abolition of a single apparent solenoid-related DNA tertiary structure component which generates a special intrinsic DNA bend, is the same for NH4DNA and NaDNA. These conclusions follow from two independent sets of experimental results: (1.) Titration viscometric measurements with ctNH4DNA as a function of the cation concentration in comparison to ctNaDNA (KER et al., JBSD 9,537 (1991)) and respective DNA conformational analyses. (2.) Quantitative viscometric analysis of DNA conformational changes on netropsin (Nt) interaction of ctNH4DNA at different temperatures and comparison with the respective data for ctNaDNA (KER et al., NAR 9,2335 (1981).