LIGHT-SCATTERING STUDIES OF SODIUM THYMONUCLEATE

The scattering of light by aqueous solutions of three different samples of sodium thymonucleate has been investigated. It was found that one sample in water consisted of randomly coiled molecules of molecular weight greater than 24 × 106. A second sample gave a less viscous solution in water and was only partially coiled, the coiling of the molecules being increased by the addition of a small amount of sodium chloride. In dilute salt solution the molecular weights of all three samples were greater than 3.7 × 106. Two samples of nucleate were degraded in solution by irradiation with ultraviolet light in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. In both cases the nucleate was converted into material consisting of rodlike molecules, 2400 A in length and having a molecular weight of 750,000.