Method of detection of conformational change in a nucleic acid duplex by treatment with oxidising or reactive agent as a result of exposure to environmental or chemical conditions

摘要

A method of detecting a conformational change in a nucleic acid sample by treatment with oxidising agent for example KmnO4 to determine difference in formation or rate of formation of reaction product MnO2 or consumption or rate of consumption of KmnO4, which indicates conformational change in the test sample, in particular when the DNA is exposed to an environmental salt concentration and temperature or electrical current. The method investigates conformational change in the DNA, for example when DNA is exposed to an intercalating agent. The use of this method for investigating chemical compounds for conformational change in the DNA is also described. The conformational change is determined by colorimetric inorganic assay, by measuring absorbance by means of a spectrophotometer. The use of other oxidising agents besides permanganate comprising OsO4 or chromic acid or ozone gas, or peroxides or perbenzoic acids or electrical current, are described in the body of the specification.