RESTRICTION-ENZYME CLEAVAGE OF DNA MODIFIED BY PLATINUM(II) COMPLEXES

The effect of binding of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II), its trans isomer and diethylenetriaminechloroplatinum(II) chloride to DNA on the splicing effectiveness of BamHI, EcoRI and SalI restriction endonucleases has been determined by means of gel electrophoresis. All three platinum complexes inhibit the cleavage of linearized plasmid DNA. In addition, the three platinum complexes bound to DNA constitute a barrier across which the linear diffusion of EcoRI on DNA is difficult. We interprete these findings to mean that the splicing effectiveness of restriction enzymes is influenced by bifunctional and monofunctional DNA adducts of platinum via both steric interference and DNA conformational distortions. Whereas the platinum adducts in the restriction sites or in their very close proximity inhibit the cleavage, the lesions occurring a greater distance from the restriction site can slow down the process of the localization of recognition sequences.