Oxidation of nucleic acid related compounds by the peroxodisulfate ion
The treatment of nucleic acid bases, nucleosides, and nucleotides with peroxodisulfate ion in a phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.0 or water at 70-75°C was investigated. The reaction of thymine and 5-methylcytosine nucleosides and nucleotides resulted in the oxidation of the 5-methyl groups. The oxidation products from 1,3-dimethyluracils and the time-course of the reaction of uracils led to two plausible reaction mechanisms for the oxidation of uracils.