Changes in ultra-violet absorption spectra of deoxyribonucleic acid by treatment with bromine.

Abstract

IN 1947, a procedure was developed1 for the determination of pyrimidine nucleoside in which bromination and prolonged acid hydrolysis precede the performance of Bial reaction. More recently, it was also shown that marked changes in ultra-violet absorption spectra, particularly disappearance of selective absorption of cytosine, uracil and their nucleosides, occurred before and after the bromination of the compounds2. While studying the effects of bromine on the chemical nature of nucleic acids, we have also found that the maximal absorption of deoxyribonucleic acid shows a decrease with increasing bromination period. In further experiments, it has also been demonstrated that acid hydrolysis of brominated deoxyribonucleic acid results in a loss of selective absorption without significant loss of phosphorus.