PROFLAVINE MEDIATED PHOTOINACTIVATION OFBACTERIOPHAGE φX174 AND ITS ISOLATED DNA: EFFECTS OF AGENTS MODIFYING VARIOUS PHOTOCHEMICAL PATHWAYS |
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| Authors: | Jacques Piette Claire-M. Calberg-Bacq Albert van de Vorst |
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| Affiliation: | Laboratory of General and Medical Microbiology, University of Liège, Sart-Tilman, 4000 Liège, Belgium;*Department of Atomic and Molecular Physics, University of Liège, Sart-Tilman, 4000 Liège, Belgium |
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| Abstract: | Abstract. Thiols and disulfides protect both φX174 phage and its isolated DNA from the lethal action of proflavine plus light. The protective ability of these compounds appears to be attributed to the -SH or the -S-S- group and the property to interact with the proflavine-phage DNA complex. The phage inactivation efficiency per proflavine bound to DNA is reduced by 50 to 30% upon addition of cysteine or cystamine. Substances that affect the lifetime of singlet oxygen modify the rate of phage photoinactivation in the presence of proflavine; the inactivation rate is decreased by N-3 and increased by D2O. Irradiation under N2 atmosphere markedly decreases the phage photosensitization by proflavine. Irradiation with monochromatic light of 440 nm is less efficient than irradiation with light of 440 nm plus 360 nm, and the difference is more pronounced in N2 than in air. These results are discussed in relation to various possible photochemical pathways. |
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