Importance of DNA and RNA Chromatography

The reader may well ask what nucleic acids, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) have to do with ion chromatography. Nucleic acids are very large biological molecules that are more like linear polymers and bear little similarity to common anions such as chloride and sulfate. Nevertheless, DNA and RNA are anionic by virtue of the phosphate groups attached to each nucleotide sugar unit. Nucleic acids can be separated by chromatography, often by ion-pair methods similar to those described in Chapter 9. For these reasons, it seems appropriate to include a chapter on DNA and RNA chromatography in this book. 

While it is understood that analytical chemists are the primary audience for this 4 edition of Ion Chromatography, it is also true that the analytical chemist and ion chromatographer are being asked more and more to provide answers to biological problems. In a sense, many of the new research challenges facing the 

Ion Chromatopaphy, 4th Ed. James S. Fritz and Douglas T. Gjerde Copyright 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH Co. KGaA, Weinheim ISBN 978-3-527-32052-3 

We start this chapter by briefly describing nucleic acid composition and structure. Nucleic acids have several different forms or structures, depending on their biological function. These forms can be controlled (or preserved if desired) through chemical and temperature control. 

Several column types have been used to separate nucleic acids. A discussion of the historical development of DNA and RNA chromatography is followed by a brief description of the column development that has led to the modern use of ion-pairing chromatography. 

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