Nuclease activity of a hydroxamic acid derivative in the presence of various metal ions

Abstract

Phenanthridine-linked hydroxamic acid 1 effectively cleaves ColE1 DNA in the presence of transition (ferrous, ferric and vanadyl) or lanthanide(III)(lutetium, thulium and europium) metal ions; in the presence of the former, the cleavage is inhibited by free radical scavengers, but in the latter case it is not.