How to Calculate Oligo MW?

[robert w. Jackman]

> In article <N.L.Brown.1134506748B at news.bham.ac.uk>, N.L.Brown at bham.ac.uk
> (Nigel Brown) wrote:
> 
> > In Article <1994Nov3.140526.1 at mcvax4.d48.lilly.com>,
> > books at mcvax4.d48.lilly.com wrote:
> > >We are looking for a formula to calculate the exact MW for 
> > oligonucleotides.
> > >The oligo will have a 5'-hydroxy group. We can estimate oligonucleotide MW
> > >if we use 330 as the average MW for each base but we need a exact number. 
> > >Thanks DPSMITH smith_dennis_p at lilly.com
> > 
> > GOOD GRIEF!  I have no objection to helping people with technical and other
> > problems of a specialist nature, but are there really people doing science
> > who cannot calculate a molecular weight?  No wonder
> > bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts is becoming overloaded.
> 
> As I suspected, you have started getting people flaming you (gently so
> far) for posting this statement.  I'd just like to say that I agree with
> you and that people should think about their questions a little before
> posting them to this group.
> 
> SRLasky
> 
> --

Dear Group,

Perhaps the choice of the word "formula" in the original post was unfortunate.  
I see little reason for the flames when a whole discussion has commenced on hot 
peppers in methods-and-reagents.  In fact, one of the responses to this oligo 
post alerted me to the hypercard stack, "Oligo" which I find makes very 
convenient work of formulae I have been running by hand for years.

Bob 

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Robert W. Jackman                                                *
Beth Israel Hospital/ Pathology,Research North                   *
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