Improved determination of DNA duplex stability by using UV spectroscopy

This work deals with determination of thermodynamic parameters concerning the temperature induced decomposition of DNA duplexes. Precise temperature dependences of solution UV absorption spectra have been measured for several concentrations. Proposals and tests of various data analysis procedures, with aim to find out optimal way how to determine the thermodynamic potentials changes, represent the core of the work. It has been demonstrated that the combination of a factor analysis and a fit of thermodynamic equations to temperature dependences of obtained coefficient values, enables these parameters to be obtained from a measurement performed for only one concentration and with better precision than by using the so far recommended method based on a melting temperature determination for several concentrations