The presence of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in animal deoxyribonucleic acid

A method is given for small-scale preparation of DNA from 1.0-1.5g of adult rat tissues. The product from brain or liver is characterized by base ratios and phosphorus content which accord with reported values for rat tissue. It is reasonably free of RNA, protein and glycogen. It contains 5-hydroxymethylcytosine at a content of about 15% of the total cytosine bases present. 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine is also demonstrable in mouse and frog brain DNA and in the crude cytidylic acid fractions obtained from RNA hydrolysates of rat brain and liver. 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine is identified by paper chromatography, u.v. spectra in acid and alkaline solutions and by its conversion into 5-hydroxymethyluracil.