Complexing of amino acids to DNA by chromate in intact cells

Using o-pthaldialdehyde (OPT) fluorescence, the amino acids associated with DNA were studied following exposure of intact Chinese hamster ovary cells to chromate. Rigorous extraction with EDTA, acid, or base was required to release the amino acids cross-linked to the DNA isolated from control or chromate-treated cells by standard procedures (i.e., proteinase K, phenol, etc.). Amino acids resisting extraction from DNA were not studied since analysis was limited to those that could be released by these procedures. There was a chromate dose-dependent increase in amino acids complexed with the DNA that could be released by EDTA, acid, and base, and these amino acids were separated by HPLC and identified. Substantial increases in cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, histidine, threonine, and tyrosine were found as a function of increasing concentrations of chromate. There was also a time-dependent increase in complexing of these amino acids to the DNA by chromate. The amino acids found complexed to DNA in intact cells by chromate were thought to originate from reactions of free amino acids or small peptides with the DNA rather than being proteolytic products derived from larger proteins that were cross-linked to the DNA. This was supported by a number of experiments: a) free amino acids or bovine serum albumin (BSA) were cross-linked by chromium to DNA in vitro and the DNA was isolated by standard procedures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)