Nuclease activity of a water-soluble manganese porphyrin associated with potassium hydrogen persulphate: oxidative cleavage of DNA

Abstract

Oxidative cleavage of DNA is observed when the oxygen donor potassium hydrogen persulphate is associated with a water-soluble managanese porphyrin; the nuclease activity is obtained for low concentrations of both the manganese porphyrin (2–200 nM) and potassium hydrogen persulphate (1–25 µM), and the latter is more efficient than hydrogen peroxide in this metalloporphyrin-mediated cleavage of DNA.