Studies on the mechanism of DNA cleavage by ethidium.

Nucleic acids research ·Vol. 3 ·No. 2 ·1976-02-00 ·Pages 315-23

Deniss IS, Morgan AR

Abstract

Ethidium causes the cleavage of DNA via a light and oxygen dependent process. Using covalently closed circular DNA as a substrate, the saturation kinetics and the dependence on superhelical density of the cleavage indicate that intercalated ethidium is mainly responsible for nicking DNA. Superoxide dismutase has little effect on the reaction and catalase none. Lowering the pH inhibited the reaction. The reaction mechanism and its use in determining superhelical densities of covalently closed circular DNA's are discussed.

MeSH Terms

Binding Sites Coliphages DNA DNA, Circular Helium Kinetics Light Oxygen Spectrometry, Fluorescence Superoxide Dismutase

Chemicals

DNA, Circular Helium DNA Superoxide Dismutase Oxygen

Authors & Affiliations

2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Deniss I S

Morgan A R

References (14)

14 references, click to expand

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Article Info

Journal

Nucleic acids research

Abbr.

Nucleic Acids Res

ISSN

0305-1048

DOI

10.1093/nar/3.2.315

Published

1976-02-00

Pages

315-23

Language

English

Region

England

NLM ID

0411011

PMCID

PMC342903

Subset

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1093/nar/3.2.315 PMC Full Text View journal details

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Studies on the mechanism of DNA cleavage by ethidium.

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