DNA DENATURATION AND RENATURATION

Denaturation and renaturation of DNA

1. Denaturation is the conversion of the double stranded form of DNA into single stranded form

(a) DNA can be denatured by heat or alkaline treatment

(b) The temperature at which half the DNA is unwound is defined as the melting

temperature (Tm)

–Tm is dependent on the GC content of the DNA, on the solvent, and on the

ionic strength

(c) Hyperchromic effect: On denaturation of dsDNA into SS DNA UV absorption

at 260 nm increases.

2. renaturation—under proper conditions, complementary single-stranded nucleic acids

can renature into a double-stranded form

3. denaturation/renaturation is the basis of hybridization experiments—this type of

analysis is central to recombinant DNA technology and gene manipulation

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