The influence of chromatin compactness on the stoichiometry of the Feulgen-Schiff procedure studied in model films. I. Theoretical kinetics and experiments with films containing isolated deoxyribonucleic acid.

Theoretical considerations on the expected kinetics of the course of the Feulgen-Schiff reaction show that the leveling off of the first part of the Feulgen hydrolysis curve can be explained by the gradual conversion of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to apurinic acid (APA). In addition, depolymerization of DNA caused by the acid used for hydrolysis can account for the decline after a maximum is reached in this curve. With the aid of polyacrylamide model films containing DNA, a detailed study was made both of the process of purine liberation which results in the formation of APA and of the depolymerization processes which cause losses of stainable material. The liberation of purine bases was analyzed by ultraviolet absorbance measurements and by gel chromatography of the neutralized hydrolysing acid. APA concentration was monitored by following the loss of ultraviolet absorbance associated with the purine losses. The depolymerization process was followed by phosphorus determinations. The experimental results were found to be in accordance with the kinetics expected from the theoretical model.