Nucleotide Molecular Weights

NucleotideMW (g/mol)
Ribonucleotide Triphosphates (Avg. MW = 499.5)
ATP507.2
CTP483.2
GTP523.2
UTP484.2
Ribonucleotide Monophosphates (Avg. MW = 339.5)
AMP347.2
CMP323.2
GMP363.2
UMP324.2
Deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (Avg. MW = 487.0)
dATP491.2
dCTP467.2
dGTP507.2
dTTP482.2
Deoxyribonucleotide Monophosphates (Avg. MW = 327.0)
dAMP331.2
dCMP307.2
dGMP347.2
dTMP322.2

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/mol1 µg equivalent
pmolmolecules
206,569152.239.17 x 1013
10032,20931.051.87 x 1013
30096,30910.386.25 x 1012
500160,4096.233.75 x 1012
1000320,6593.121.88 x 1012
1800577,0591.731.04 x 1012

ssDNA Size and Mass Conversions

Size (nt)Daltons or g/mol1 µg equivalent
pmolmolecules
206,153162.529.79 x 1013
10030,44932.841.98 x 1013
30091,18910.976.6 x 1012
500151,9296.583.96 x 1012
1000303,7793.291.98 x 1012
1800546,7391.831.1 x 1012

dsDNA Size and Mass Conversions

Size (nt)Daltons or g/mol1 µg equivalent
pmolmolecules
2012,30681.264.89 x 1013
10060,89816.429.89 x 1012
300182,3785.483.3 x 1012
500303,8583.291.98 x 1012
1000607,5581.659.91 x 1011
18001,093,4780.915.51 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

NucleotideAbsorbance
Maximum at pH 7.0 (nm)
Molar Extinction
Coefficient at pH 7.0
ATP25915,400
CTP2719,000
GTP25313,700
UTP26210,000
dATP25915,200
dCTP2719,300
dGTP25313,700
dTTP2679,600