| Abstract: | Methylnitronitrosoguanidine (MNNG) is reported to inhibit DNA synthesis in intact human cells, in the cells from patients with ataxia telangiectasia (AT) or the cells from two rodent species. DNA synthesis in different cell lines exhibits varying sensitivity to MNNG inhibitory effect. 4-5-fold higher concentrations of MNNG are required for 50% inhibition of DNA synthesis in AT cells or in field vole cells as compared with the concentration required for human cells or Chinese hamster. The different compactness of two chromatin fractions might possibly result in lower sensitivity of DNA synthesis in heterochromatin to MNNG-induced inhibition as compared with the sensitivity of euchromatin. The genetic expression of AT defect on the cellular level is supposed to be connected with changes in supramolecular packaging of chromatin in interphase nuclei. |
