title: Reactions of beta-propiolactone, beta-butyrolactone and gamma-butyrolactone with nucleic acids.
abstract: Reactivity of beta-propiolactone, beta-butyrolactone and gamma-butyrolactone with guanosine, RNA, DNA and 4-(p-nitrobenzyl)pyridine was studied. beta-Propiolactone was 50--100 times more reactive with all the nucleophiles than beta-butyrolactone whereas gamma-butyrolactone was completely inactive. The rate of alkylation by the lactones was guanosine greater than RNA = denatured DNA greater than double-stranded DNA. The type of the adducts formed were characterized by fluorescence and ultraviolet spectroscopy. Similar alkylation products were formed by the two lactones. The main sites alkylated were N-1 at adenosine, N-3 at cytidine and N-7 at guanosine. The results suggest that the carcinogenic potency of the lactones correlates with their reactivity rather than with specificity of the adducts formed.
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000478:Alkylation; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004247:DNA; D005663:Furans; D006151:Guanosine; D007783:Lactones; D009578:Nitrobenzenes; D011420:Propiolactone; D011725:Pyridines; D012313:RNA; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D005663:Furans; D007783:Lactones; D009578:Nitrobenzenes; D011725:Pyridines; C008633:4-(4-nitrobenzyl)pyridine; D006151:Guanosine; C013426:beta-butyrolactone; D012313:RNA; D011420:Propiolactone; D004247:DNA; D015107:4-Butyrolactone