R. Shapiro, D. Law, J. Weisgras
Oct 17, 1972
Citations
0
Influential Citations
9
Citations
Journal
Biochemical and biophysical research communications
Abstract
Abstract The reaction of cytidine with sodium bisulfite and methylamine gives transamination to N4-methylcytidine and deamination to uridine. At pH 7.4, however, transamination takes place exclusively. This reaction was applied to yeast RNA (7 days, 37°) and afforded the specific conversion of 54% of the cytidine residues to N4-methylcytidine residues. The same procedure converted up to 95% of the cytidines of polycytidylic acid to N4-methylcytidines. A complex of polycytidylic acid with polyinosinic acid was, however, totally resistant to the reaction. Because of its cytosine specificity, single-strand specificity, possibility of use of radioactive methylamine, mild conditions, and ease of analysis, this reaction seems ideally suited as a chemical probe for single-stranded regions in RNA.