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Helical periodicity of DNA determined by enzyme digestion

Abstract

The periodicity of DNA has been determined by binding short, stiff pieces of DNA to a flat surface and using DNase I to probe the accessibility of the phosphodiester bonds. We have found that the distance between successive DNase I cutting sites is 10.6 ± 0.1 bases for the DNA immobilized on three different surfaces. We identify this value with the number of base pairs per turn of the DNA double helix in solution.

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Rhodes, D., Klug, A. Helical periodicity of DNA determined by enzyme digestion. Nature 286, 573–578 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1038/286573a0

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