DNA and autoclaving

[Ned Mantei]

In article <see_sig-2110981047160001 at 192.168.0.84>, rgrant at netscape.net wrote:

> There is no reason - aside from mechanical
> stress - that  you should get strand breakage.  

Thermal degradation occurs. The DNA will no longer be high molecular
weight, although I suspect fragments of a kb or so would still be present.
If the pH is low (e.g., 4 or 5), there will be considerable depurination.
The DNA will certainly be denatured.

-- 
Ned Mantei
Dept. of Cell Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland