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Ch. 10 - DNA Structure and Analysis

Chapter 10, Problem 22

What is the hyperchromic effect? How is it measured? What does Tₘ imply?

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Hi everyone. Let's take a look at this practice problem together. The blank refers to a significant increase in the absorption of UV radiation at 260 nanometers by denature D. N. A. Recall that 260 nanometers it's the maximum absorption of UV light by D. N. A. And that's important because DNA can be detected and quantified using that property. So let's look at our options. We have C. Svedberg coefficient right off the bat. That sounds like a math term to me. And it is it's a unit measurement and it's used in sedimentation and sedimentation is in reference to the way a molecule behaves when it's put in a centrifuge. So the way a molecule behaves during centrifuge Gatien determines this. Fed bird coefficient. This has nothing to do with UV light. And so this is not the correct answer. Then we have D position effect. It sounds like the name is something in relation to its position or something to do with position. And in fact it is about the position of a gene. It's about a gene's expression. So a gene's expression that occurs when the location of that gene on a chromosome has changed and this most likely happens via translocation. Again this is not something about UV light. And so D. Is not correct either. Then we're left with either hipaa chromatic effect or hyper chroma key effect. So the hypo prefix means below and this doesn't really align with the significant increase that's described in our question and a. Is actually not the correct answer either. A The hipaa chronic effect actually describes how double stranded DNA absorbs less UV light than single stranded DNA. So B is the correct answer. Hyper chronic effect hyper means above. So the hyper chronic effect is the significant increase in the UV absorption at 260 nm by denature DNA. So again, B is the correct answer. All right, everyone. I hope you found this helpful and I'll see you soon for the next practice problem.