Secondary association of exogenous polynucleotides with cells and nuclei in uptake experiments

Nucleic acid interaction with VERO cells. A temperature barrier in the interaction pattern

The interaction of VERO cell monolayers with spin (nitroxide)-(labeled polynucleotides (1(N)n) was examined by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy at various temperatures. Nitroxide labels covalently linked to (A)n, (dUfl)n, (U)n and (A)n . (U)n were used to monitor the interaction. The VERO cells were grown on small quartz plates with a cell viability of 95% or better and then used directly for the ESR studies. The ESR results indicated that the interaction between VERO cells and spin-labeled nucleic acids is temperature dependent. No temperature dependence was found when VERO cells were in contact with nitroxide radicals which were free in solution or covalently bound to Sepharose 4B. The temperature dependence established with nitroxide-labeled nucleic acids indicates that a temperature barrier must exist between 20 and 26 degrees C for the interaction between nucleic acids and VERO cells; namely, at 26 degrees C or above spin-labeled nucleic acids interact significantly with a VERO cell surface; whereas, at 20 degrees C the ESR signal reports no interaction. It is concluded that a temperature-dependent phase transition of membrane components or cell surface products active at 26 degrees C or above play a key role in the nucleic acid cell surface interaction process.