Biotin-labelled DNA: a novel approach for the recognition of a DNA binding site on cell membranes

There have been several independent observations over the last decade attesting to the association of deoxyribonucleic acid with the surface membranes of certain mammalian cells. In general these findings have generated little interest as it has usually been assumed that this association is a non-specific epiphenomenon. In this study, we show that the isolated cell membranes of human neutrophils possess a DNA binding molecule with a molecular weight of 30,000. The techniques used to demonstrate this DNA binding molecule, namely the use of biotinylated DNA to probe proteins that have been electrophoretically separated and blotted onto nitrocellulose, should find a general applicability in identifying putative cell surface receptors.