Dual-mode computer processing for high resolution DNA thermal denaturation experiments

Two modes of data processing are appropriate in conducting high resolution thermal denaturation experiments (thermal increments of 0.05° or closer). In the first mode, a general purpose microcomputer provides on-line services important to the control and monitoring of the initial experiment, including control of the spectrophotometer and heater, the recording of data, and the display of current hyperchromicities and approximate first derivatives. A subsequent microcomputer program then reads the recorded data files and carries out accurate calculations of derivative denaturation profiles and the estimate of the statistical error of the first derivative at each point. The data collection program handles three samples at a time and was designed to provide optimal results in thermal denaturation experiments with a single-beam spectrophotometer.