Products Documents
DNA and RNA Molecular Weights and Conversions

Nucleotide Molecular Weights

Nucleotide
MW (g/mol)
Ribonucleotide Triphosphates (Avg. MW = 499.5)
ATP
507.2
CTP
483.2
GTP
523.2
UTP
484.2
Ribonucleotide Monophosphates (Avg. MW = 339.5)
AMP
347.2
CMP
323.2
GMP
363.2
UMP
324.2
Deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (Avg. MW = 487.0)
dATP
491.2
dCTP
467.2
dGTP
507.2
dTTP
482.2
Deoxyribonucleotide Monophosphates (Avg. MW = 327.0)
dAMP
331.2
dCMP
307.2
dGMP
347.2
dTMP
322.2


Nucleic Acid Molecular Weight Conversions

Exact M.W. of ssRNA (e.g., RNA Transcript)
M.W. = (An x 329.2) + (Un x 306.2) + (Cn x 305.2) + (Gn x 345.2) + 159ª
An, Un, Cn, and Gn are the number of each respective nucleotide within the polynucleotide.
M.W. calculated is valid at physiological pH.

ªAddition of "159" to the M.W. takes into account the M.W. of a 5' triphosphate.

Exact M.W. of ssDNA (e.g., Oligonucleotides)
M.W. = (An x 313.2) + (Tn x 304.2) + (Cn x 289.2) + (Gn x 329.2) + 79.0ª
An, Tn, Cn, and Gn are the number of each respective nucleotide within the polynucleotide.
ªAddition of "79.0" to the M.W. takes into account the 5' monophosphate left by most restriction enzymes. No phosphate is present at the 5' end of strands made by primer extension.

Approximate M.W.'s of Nucleic Acids
M.W. of ssRNA = (# nucleotides x 320.5) + 159.0
M.W. of ssDNA = (# nucleotides x 303.7) + 79.0
M.W. of dsDNA = (# nucleotides x 607.4) + 157.9



ssRNA Size and Mass Conversions

Size (nt)
Daltons or g/mol

1 µg equivalent

pmol
molecules
20
6,569
152.23
9.17 x 1013
100
32,209
31.05
1.87 x 1013
300
96,309
10.38
6.25 x 1012
500
160,409
6.23
3.75 x 1012
1000
320,659
3.12
1.88 x 1012
1800
577,059
1.73
1.04 x 1012

 

ssDNA Size and Mass Conversions

Size (nt)
Daltons or g/mol

1 µg equivalent

pmol
molecules
20
6,153
162.52
9.79 x 1013
100
30,449
32.84
1.98 x 1013
300
91,189
10.97
6.6 x 1012
500
151,929
6.58
3.96 x 1012
1000
303,779
3.29
1.98 x 1012
1800
546,739
1.83
1.1 x 1012

 

dsDNA Size and Mass Conversions

Size (nt)
Daltons or g/mol

1 µg equivalent

pmol
molecules
20
12,306
81.26
4.89 x 1013
100
60,898
16.42
9.89 x 1012
300
182,378
5.48
3.3 x 1012
500
303,858
3.29
1.98 x 1012
1000
607,558
1.65
9.91 x 1011
1800
1,093,478
0.91
5.51 x 1011

 

Absorbance Units to Nucleic Acid Concentration Conversion

1 A260 dsDNA = 50 µg/ml

1 A260 ssDNA = 37 µg/ml

1 A260 ssRNA = 40 µg/ml



Nucleotide Absorbance Maxima and Molar Extinction Coefficients

Nucleotide
Absorbance Maximum at pH 7.0 (nm)
Molar Extinction Coefficient at pH 7.0
ATP
259
15,400
CTP
271
9,000
GTP
253
13,700
UTP
262
10,000
dATP
259
15,200
dCTP
271
9,300
dGTP
253
13,700
dTTP
267
9,600


 
Home | Products | Technical Resources | What's New | About Us | Contact Us
Advanced Search | Site Map | Privacy | Trademarks/Legal | Web Feedback | Jobs
© Applied Biosystems. All rights reserved.