Abstract
According to Watson and Crick (W/C) model of DNA structure, a DNA molecule consists of two antiparallel polynucleotide chains, intertwined with each other. Although W/C model is accepted widely, some researchers have raised questions against it and proposed alternative structures for DNA. In the present study, we examined W/C model using plasmid DNA. It was hypothesized that two strands of plasmid will remain intertwined (and not separate from each other) under denaturing conditions if it follows W/C model. To test this, plasmid DNA was denatured using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. It was observed that addition of NaOH to pUC19 and pBR322 plasmids resulted in a new form of DNA having higher electrophoretic mobility in agarose gel. Higher electrophoretic mobility DNA (HmDNA) in NaOH-denatured pUC19 was digestible with S1 nuclease, but not with HindIII and ‘exonuclease I + alkaline phosphatase’. These results demonstrated that HmDNA is single-stranded circular DNA, formed due to separation of two strands of NaOH-denatured plasmid. Single-stranded and circular nature of HmDNA was corroborated by its comparable electrophoretic mobility with purified top and bottom strands of plasmid DNA. Next, we examined whether HmDNA can re-anneal into the native plasmid. Interestingly, when HmDNA from NaOH-denatured pUC19 was subjected to renaturing conditions, it formed native pUC19 plasmid, which was digestible with HindIII and induced ampicillin resistance in Escherichia coli cells. These findings demonstrated the reversible separation of two strands of plasmid DNA and contradicted the W/C model of DNA structure.
Highlights
DNA is the genetic material of all organisms, with the exception of some viruses
Higher electrophoretic mobility DNA (HmDNA) re-annealed to form native pUC19 plasmid. These results demonstrated the reversible separation of plasmid DNA strands and contradicted the Watson and Crick (W/C) model of DNA structure
It was observed that addition of 0.5 N NaOH to pUC19 resulted in a new form of DNA having higher electrophoretic mobility in agarose gel (Figure 1a)
Summary
The currently accepted model of DNA structure was proposed by James Watson and Francis Crick in 19531. According to this model, a DNA molecule consists of two antiparallel polynucleotide chains, intertwined with each other. Addition of NaOH to pUC19 and pBR322 plasmids resulted in new form of DNA showing higher electrophoretic mobility in agarose gel. Higher electrophoretic mobility DNA (HmDNA) re-annealed to form native pUC19 plasmid. These results demonstrated the reversible separation of plasmid DNA strands and contradicted the W/C model of DNA structure
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