Estimation of gene reiteration from hybridization kinetics in moderate deoxyribonucleic acid excess

Abstract

Theoretical calculations were carried out to clarify how the DNA/RNA or the DNA/cDNA (complementary DNA) ratio in the hybridization reaction mixture affects the kinetics of DNA-RNA or DNA-cDNA reassociation, and theoretical formulae were derived as a function of these ratios. From these formulae, it was found that the DNA/RNA of the DNA/cDNA ratio did not much affect the initial reaction rates of hybridization, but greatly affected the terminal value for the extent of hybrid formation. Therefore the results obtained when one normalizes the experimental data for hydridization and derives the reiteration frequency from a number called the 'half Cot' (Cot 1/2) are not accurate, especially in the presence of a moderate excess of DNA. A simple method for the estimation of gene reiteration was demonstrated that did not use the half Cot value in the determination. This simple method is useful even if DNA-RNA or DNA/cDNA hybridization are done with a moderate excess of DNA. With mouse myeloma cells as a model system, the gene reiteration of the 28S rRNA cristron was determined.