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Correspondence
LP to Alexander Rich. December 9, 1952 Author: Linus Pauling
| Title: |
Linus Pauling's correspondence with Alexander Rich: Dec. 9, 1952 |
| Creator: |
Pauling, Linus, 1901- |
| Publisher: |
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| Date: |
1952-12-09 |
| Subject: |
Nucleic acids
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| Description: |
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| Type: |
Text |
| Format: |
text/plain |
| Language: |
en |
| Identifier: |
rich01-pg01.jpg |
| Source: |
Master file format: TIFF, 600 dpi, Epson GT-10000+ flatbed scanner. |
| Rights: |
http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/specialcollections/coll/pauling/dna/copyright.html |
| Full Text: |
I suggest that you try to make well oriented fibers of sodium thymonucleate or other nucleic acid preparations by the use
of plasticizers.
The fact that 50 percent relative humidity seems to be required to give good fibers suggests that substances containing hydroxyl
groups would be satisfactory plasticizers. I think that you should try adding a little glycerine to the solution. Perhaps
ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol would be worth trying. In fact, perhaps all of these substances should be added to the
same preparation -- mixed plasticizers often are more effective than the individual plasticizers.
As to other substances, urea and salicylic acid and guanidium ion might all be worth trying.
There is the possiblity that dibutyl phthalate would be useful.
For one preparation you might try putting all of these things in the solution, with the nucleic acid, the plasticizers being
added in rather small amounts.
I am asking Dr. Marsh to make a spectrometer investigation, and to calculate a radial distribution function. Would you turn
over to him about 0.5 g of a preperation, for this purpose. If you powder photograph of the sodium thymonucleate taken directly
from the bottle gives as good a powder photograph as the recrystallized material, I suggest that you give him a sample of
the material from the bottel. Small amounts of impurities would not be important.
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