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Enzymatic Degradation of Deoxyribonucleic Acid into Sub-units

Nature volume 188, pages 228–229 (1960)Cite this article

Abstract

THE generally accepted value for the molecular weight of deoxyribonucleic acid is 6–8 × 106 (refs. 1 and 2). In the course of a study of methods of preparation involving extraction with solutions of low ionic strength, it has been found that, under a given set of experimental conditions, preparations from chicken erythrocytes could be obtained which showed reproducibly lower molecular weights (Champagne, M., unpublished work). This finding is reminiscent of some results scattered in the literature3 and suggestive of some enzymatic activity involving depolymerization of deoxyribonucleic acid. An investigation was therefore undertaken of the action on deoxyribonucleic acid of preparations from chicken erythrocytes.

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References

  1. Sadron, C., and Pouyet, J., Proc. Fourth Int. Cong. Biochem., Vienna, 1958, edit. by Hoffmann-Ostenhof, O., 9, 52 (Pergamon Press, London, 1959).

  2. Zubay, G., and Doty, P., J. Mol. Biol., 1, 1 (1959).

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  3. Sadron, C., Proc. Third Int. Cong. Biochem., Brussels, 1955 (edit. by Liébecq, C.), 125 (Academic Press, New York, 1956). Jordan, D. O., in “The Nucleic Acids” (edit. by Chargaff, E., and Davidson, J. N.), 1, 470 (Academic Press, New York, 1955).

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  4. Watson, J. D., and Crick, F. H. C., Nature, 171, 737 (1953).

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  5. Sadron, C., XI Conseil de Chimie Solvay (Bruxelles, 1959).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de Recherches sur les Macromolécules, Strasbourg

    GIORGIO BERNARDI, MADELEINE CHAMPAGNE & CHARLES SADRON

Authors
  1. GIORGIO BERNARDI
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  2. MADELEINE CHAMPAGNE
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  3. CHARLES SADRON
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BERNARDI, G., CHAMPAGNE, M. & SADRON, C. Enzymatic Degradation of Deoxyribonucleic Acid into Sub-units. Nature 188, 228–229 (1960). https://doi.org/10.1038/188228b0

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