PubMed · 6470401
A magnetic viscometer for shear-sensitive macromolecules.
Abstract
This paper is a report about a rotation-viscometer with a submerged rotor which has been developed for measuring the viscosity of biological macromolecules. The device avoids the effects of surface disturbance. The rotor is centered and height-balanced electromagnetically and is controlled by a light barrier. The driving force is a rotating electromagnetic field and rotor revolution periods are measured by an electronic timer controlled by a second ligh barrier. Shearing effects are negligible if very slow revolutions are pre-selected; thus, intrinsic viscosity values for DNA can be obtained by merely extrapolating the concentration dependence. In contrast to DNA, chromatin has a very low viscosity with almost no dependence on concentration. If the ionic strength of a chromatin solution is decreased, the viscosity increases due to structural unfolding.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Explore connections, maps & timelines
R Brust, V Muth. 1984. A magnetic viscometer for shear-sensitive macromolecules.. https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-022x(84)90027-7
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.