Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Low-Angle Light Scattering and the Molecular Weight of Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Nature volume 191, pages 280–281 (1961)Cite this article

Abstract

IT has been known for some time that the molecular weights obtained for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by present-day techniques in light-scattering may be in error. This situation is not the result of theoretical barriers, but rather, the very considerable experimental problems to be solved in making reliable measurements of scattering below angles of 25°. Accordingly, considerable effort has been made to assess by indirect methods the validity of light-scattering molecular weights determined by extrapolation of data which extend to no lower than 25°. Doty, Geiduschek and Holtzer and more recently Butler et al. have given1–3 detailed critical discussions of the nature of the indirect evidence and the remaining ambiguities.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Doty, P., J. Cell Comp. Physiol., 49, 27 (1957).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Geiduschek, E. P., and Holtzer, A., in Advances in Biological and Medical Physics, 6, 431 (Academic Press, New York, 1958).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Butler, J. A. V., Laurence, D. J. R., Robins, A. B., and Shooter, K. V., Proc. Roy. Soc., A, 250, 1 (1959).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Signer, R., and Schwander, H., Helv. Chim. Acta, 33, 1522 (1950).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bjorklund, R., and Katz, S., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 78, 2122 (1956).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York

    SIDNEY KATZ

Authors
  1. SIDNEY KATZ
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

KATZ, S. Low-Angle Light Scattering and the Molecular Weight of Deoxyribonucleic Acid. Nature 191, 280–281 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1038/191280a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/191280a0

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing