Abstract
The metal chelator 1,10-phenanthroline, in the presence of a reducing agent and a copper salt, causes the degradation of double-stranded DNA to acid soluble fragments. The degradation of DNA is dependent on the presence of O2. The concentrations of 1,10-phenanthroline which are effective in degrading DNA are of the same order of magnitude as those that result in inhibition of nucleotidyl transferase reactions. The requirement for a copper salt can only be demonstrated when all reagents are treated with Chelex to remove metal contaminants. It is proposed that the degradation of DNA in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline may account for the invitro inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis seen with this metal chelator, rather than any effect on nucleotidyl transferases.
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