Interaction of adenine and thymine with aqueous sugar solutions

The solubility of the nucleic acid bases, adenine and thymine, in aqueous erythritol, xylose, glucose, and sucrose solutions has been studied. The solubility of adenine increases linearly with glucose and sucrose concentration, whereas with the other reagents a nonlinear increase is observed. Below 1.5M reagent concentration, the solubility of adenine increases in the order erythritol < robose, xylose < glucose < sucrose. The solubility of thymine in these solutions, on the other hand, decreases, increases, or does not change depending upon the reagent. The effect of temperature on the solubility of adenine and thymine in sugar solution indicates that the transfer of these molecules from water to sugar solution is exothermic.Presented in part at the VIIth All-India Symposium in Biophysics held at Visva Bharati University during October 1976.