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Salt for annealing oligos - (Aug/22/2007 )

Hi!

I wonder why is it important to have at least 50mM NaCl when annealing oigos?

Thanks!

-olgam-

Hi Olgam

The reason is that the phosphate backbone of DNA is negatively charged so single-standed DNA, such as your oligos, will slightly repel each other, preventing or at least inhibiting annealling. In solution, NaCl dissociates to give Na+ and Cl-. The Na+ associates with the negatively charged phosphate groups, neutralizing the charge and allowing the strands to come together.

Nick.

-bitesizebio guy-

thank you, Nick!
Olga

-olgam-