The Effects of Damaged Protein on the Light-Scattering Properties of RNA Solutions: A Comparison of Thermal and Radiation Effects

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Thermal experiments conducted with dry proteins in vacuo indicate that these proteins will increase the turbidity of RNA solutions as a nonmonotonic function of the exposure time. The results are similar to those observed for the same proteins subjected to electron bombardment. A number of combination heating and radiation runs were made, producing a shift in the turbidity peaks, as observed when the excess turbidity was plotted as a function of the parameter measuring the last agent applied. These effects are explained with a statistical model describing the produced effect in terms of a distribution of the molecules among a number of possible states of damage. The results strongly suggest that heating and radiation produce very similar types of damage at the molecular level.