[99] Determination of nucleic acids in tissues by pentose analysis

TLDR: The extraction methods described were developed for nucleic acid determinations by spectrophotometric methods and it has become quite clear that the separations are not sufficiently refined for isotopic work.

Abstract: Publisher Summary The procedure for the determination of nucleic acids described in this chapter is based on the finding that nucleic acids can be separated from other tissue compounds by their preferential solubility in hot trichloroacetie acid The isolated nucleic acids are then quantitated by means of colorimetric reactions involving the pentose components of the nucleic acids The determination of nucleic acids in tissues is largely a problem in identification By means of the extraction procedures described in the chapter and the colorimetric reactions of peptide nucleic acid and DNA, a considerable degree of specificity is placed on the determination of these compounds Occasionally however, false results will be obtained, owing to the presence of materials in the nucleic acid extracts that interfere with the pentose reactions It is emphasized that the extraction methods described were developed for nucleic acid determinations by spectrophotometric methods Although it was at first thought that these procedures might be directly applicable to isotopic work, it has become quite clear that the separations are not sufficiently refined for such studies The methods have served, however, as starting points for other separation procedures more suitable for isotopic work