Affinity gel electrophoresis of nucleic acids. Nucleobase-selective separation of DNA and RNA on agarose-poly(9-vinyladenine) conjugated gel.

Poly(9-vinyladenine) (PVAd) was immobilized within an agarose gel matrix to produce a novel affinity gel for the base-specific separation of nucleic acids by electrophoresis. The shape (single- or double-stranded) and base content of nucleic acids were specifically recognized by the affinity gel. Only single stranded DNA, of which the sequence is not regular enough to form a stable duplex hairpin structure, was selectively absorbed over double-stranded DNA. Among five polynucleotides having different bases such as poly(A), poly(G), poly(C), poly(U) and poly(I), poly(U) and poly(I) were base-specifically adsorbed by PVAd, probably by hydrogen bond formation. The effect of the molecular mass and size of poly(9-vinyladenine) was also examined.