title: The action of mono- and di-functional sulphur mustards on the ribonucleic acid-containing bacteriophage mu2.
abstract: Bacteriophage mu2 is inactivated by both mono- and di-functional sulphur mustards at relatively low extents of alkylation. No degradation of alkylated RNA was detected. Cross-linking of RNA to protein was observed with the difunctional agent, but this reaction was only a minor contribution to the inactivation. Analyses of the reaction products in bacteriophage RNA showed that, at the mean lethal doses, more than one mono-alkylation of guanine had occurred but the sum total of other types of RNA alkylation was close to a single event. The results therefore suggest that inactivation results from the mono-alkylation of adenine or cytosine. In experiments with the difunctional agent cross-linking of RNA bases or of RNA to protein also prevented replication, the existence of these reactions accounting for the greater sensitivity of the bacteriophage to this agent.
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000032:analysis; D000478:Alkylation; D001665:Binding Sites; D002845:Chromatography; D003090:Coliphages / Q000187:drug effects*; D003596:Cytosine / Q000032:analysis; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006147:Guanine / Q000032:analysis; D009150:Mustard Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009705:Nucleosides / Q000032:analysis; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000032:analysis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D013460:Sulfur Isotopes; D014461:Ultracentrifugation; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009150:Mustard Compounds; D009705:Nucleosides; D009711:Nucleotides; D012367:RNA, Viral; D013460:Sulfur Isotopes; D014764:Viral Proteins; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006147:Guanine; D003596:Cytosine; D000225:Adenine