INTERACTION OF PINACYANOL AND QUINOLINE-1-OXIDES WITH NUCLEIC ACIDS - BASE SPECIFICITY OF BINDING

Base specificity of pinacyanol which has been shown to interact with DNA orienting perpendicularly to the base planes, was studied by means of the difference spectrum method. Purine bases in DNA were found to be more preferable than pyrimidine bases for the attachment site of pinacyanol. The same was true for the nucleosides.The base specificity of carcinogenic 4-nitroquinoline-l-oxide (4-NQO) and 4-hydroxyaminoquinoline 1-oxide (4-HAQO) was studied, and in this case also, purine bases were more effective in binding with these carcinogens. There was no difference in binding capacity between adenosine and guanosine. © 1968 by the Journal of Biochemistry.