Inhibition of DNA synthesis by chromium compounds

Cr(VI) irreversibly inhibited DNA synthesis in cultured mouse L cells to 50% of controls at 10 microM; 3.3 mM Cr(III) did not. At 0.3 mM, Cr(III) and Cr(VI) inhibited DNA synthesis in permeabilized L cells to 50% of control values. Cr(III) was a stronger inhibitor of DNA synthesis in the DNA-Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I system than was Cr(VI). The inhibitory effect of Cr(VI) depended on the ratio of Cr/DNA and Cr/enzyme; on the other hand, the increase in the concentration of DNA polymerase did not affect the inhibition of Cr(III), Cr(III), below the inhibitory concentration, produced an increase in the incorporation of [3H]dTMP into DNA; this was not observed with Cr(VI).