[A comparative study of different methods of determining the Tm of bacterial DNA (AUTHOR'S TRANSL)].

Melting point curves of DNA are used to calculate average GC content. Four methods of Tm determination are described and are used in the case of all DNA samples studied. The results presented confirme that thermal denaturation curves are asymetrical, and this limits the use of "normal probability paper" and "regression lines" methods. Best reproductibility is obtained by a study of the function (see article) followed by a linear interpolation of the median. This approach yields at the same time interesting information about bacterial DNA. The graphic determination of Tm appears to be the method for choice for routine analysis.