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Pyrimidine-Specific Antibodies: Reaction with DNA's of Differing Base Compositions¹

From the Department of Microbiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons New York, New York 10032

Abstract

The reactivity of antinucleoside antibodies with DNA was found to depend on the base composition of the DNA. Anti-thymine antibodies reacted with denatured T2 phage DNA whereas anti-cytosive antibodies did not. This was attributed to the absence of cytosine in T2 phage DNA, and to the failure of anti-cytosine to react with glucosylated hydroxymethylcytosine. DNA preparations with different base ratios were tested for their reactivity with anti-cytosine and anti-thymine antibodies. Using DNA denatured in the presence of formaldehyde, which prevented reformation of base-paired structures, the reaction of Clostridium perfringens and Micrococcus lysodeikticus DNA's with anti-cytosine and anti-thymine antibodies could be correlated with the DNA base ratios. Calf thymus DNA reacted as expected from its base ratio with anti-thymine, but not as expected with anti-cytosine. The deviation observed in the anti-cytosine reaction pattern was related to an alteration in the antigenic identity of cytosine caused by formaldehyde during denaturation.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by United States Public Health Service Grant AI-06860, and by Contracts NONR 266(40) and 4259 between the Office of Naval Research and Columbia University. Taken in part from a dissertation submitted by Anthony J. Garro to the Graduate Faculties of Columbia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

² Supported by United States Public Health Service Predoctoral Fellowship 5-F1-GM-31, 689. Present address: Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai College of Medicine, New York, New York 10029.