RNA Cleavage by C-1027 Chromophore, an Enediyne Antitumor Antibiotic: High Selectivity to an Anticodon Arm

Abstract

This study demonstrates unique reactivity of the C-1027 chromophore toward a tRNA phe. In the presence of Mg 2+ ions where the tRNA phe attains a stable three-dimensional structure, the enediyne chromophore exhibits high cleavage selectivity to the anticodon arm. The present reactivity of the C-1027 chromophore is useful in development of new chemical probes for mapping of tertiary RNA structure. Considering the paucity of RNA repair mechanisms, RNA may be also an important biological target for certain enediyne antibiotics.