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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Following Cell-fate in E. coli After Infection by Phage Lambda
Published on: October 14, 2011
The nature of inactivating lesions produced by platinum(II) complexes in phage lambda DNA
Abstract:
Lambda DNA loses transfectivity and acquires interstrand cross-links after treatment with either trans-Pt(II) or cis-Pt(II). With trans-Pt(II) there is close to an equivalence between the fraction of lambda DNA cross-linked and the fraction inactivated. In contrast, with cis-Pt(II) there are approx. 5 inactivating lesions for each lambda DNA interstrand cross-link. These results suggested that trans-PT(II) does not introduce intrastrand inactivating lesions into lambda DNA while cis-Pt(II) does so. To verify this conclusion, the cross-linked and uncross-linked fractions of lambda DNA treated with trans-PT(II) or cis-Pt(II) were separated on alkaline sucrose gradients. After trans-Pt(II) treatment, the uncross-linked fraction of lambda DNA was transfective when renaturated. However after cis-Pt(II) treatment the uncross-linked fraction of lambda DNA was not transfective when renatured. Thiourea treatment restored transfectivity to all inactivated fractions, showing that these lesions are reversible. We conclude that trans-Pt(II) inactivates lambda DNA primarily by introducing interstrand cross-links but that cis-Pt(II), although it also introduces interstrand cross-links, inactivates lambda DNA primarily by introducing intrastrand lesions.
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