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:

Circular Dichroism Investigations of the Two Conformations of Polyriboadenylic Acid

Nature volume 202, pages 797–798 (1964)Cite this article

Abstract

POLYRIBOADENYLIC acid (poly A) presents special interest because of its relation to the nucleic acids and of its importance as a model for the application of exciton theory to helical polymers1,2. This homopolymer adopts two conformations depending on the pH of the solution3,4. At acid pH, poly A exists in a rigid (rod-like) structure, which according to the X-ray diffraction model is formed by two parallel intertwined helical chains5. In neutral saline solution the structure of poly A is much less known; the light-scattering and hydrodynamic data indicate that the gross overall shape is suggestive of a coiled configuration. However, some other evidence (hypochromicity, dextrorotation) has been interpreted as indicating some degree of ordering4.

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. Tinoco, jun., J., Woody, R. W., and Bradley, D. F., J. Chem. Phys., 38, 1317 (1963).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Rhodes, W., J. Chem. Phys., 37, 2433 (1962); Rad. Res., 20, 120 (1963).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Reviewed in Polynucleotides by Steiner, R. F., and Beers, jun., R. F. (Elsevier Pub. Co., Amsterdam, 1961).

  4. Fresco, J. R., and Klemperer, R. E., Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 81, 730 (1959). Fresco, J. R., and Doty, P., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 79, 3928 (1957).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Rich, A., Davies, D. R., Crick, F. H. C., and Watson, J. D., J. Mol. Biol., 3, 71 (1961).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Brahms, J., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 83, 3298 (1963).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Samejima, T., and Yang, J. T. (personal communication).

  8. Tinoco, jun., J., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 86, 297 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Brahms, J., Mommaerts, W. F. H. M., and Sadron, Ch., C.R. Acad. Sci., Paris, 258, 2203 (1964).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Witz, J., and Luzzati, V. (personal communication).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de Recherches sur les Macromolécules, Strasbourg, France

    J. BRAHMS

Authors
  1. J. BRAHMS
    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

BRAHMS, J. Circular Dichroism Investigations of the Two Conformations of Polyriboadenylic Acid. Nature 202, 797–798 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/202797a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/202797a0

This article is cited by

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