Skip to main content
Log in

Crystal structure of proflavine, a DNA binding agent

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

THE subject of DNA–small molecule binding has received much attention in recent years. Particular emphasis has been placed on aminoacridine binding1, and many studies have employed proflavine (Fig. 1) as perhaps the classical interacting agent of these series of drugs. The DNA-binding properties of proflavine cause it to act as a frameshift mutagen, and this ability has been extensively utilised in molecular genetics2.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Peacocke, A. R., in The Acridinies, (edit. by Acheson, R. M.), (John Wiley, New York, 1973).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Crick, F. H. C., Barnett, L., Brenner, S., and Watts-Tobin, R. J., Nature, 192, 1227–1232 (1961).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Peacocke, A. R., and Skerrett, N. J. H., Trans. Faraday Soc., 52, 261–279 (1956).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Lerman, L. S., J. molec. Biol., 3, 18–30 (1961).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Pritchard, N. J., Blake, A., and Peacocke, A. R., Nature, 212, 1360–1361 (1966).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Germain, G., Main, P., and Woolfson, M. M., Acta crystallogr., A 27, 368–376 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Tollin, P., and Cochran, W., Acta crystallogr., 17, 1332–1334 (1964).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Albert, A., The Acridines, (Edward Arnold, London, 1966).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Obendorf, S. K., Carrell, S. K., and Glusker, J. P., Acta crystallogr., B 30, 1408–1411 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Talaki, R., Carrell, S. K., and Glusker, J. P., Acta crystallogr., B 30, 1044–1047 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Turner, D. H., Flynn, G. W., Lundberg, S. K., Faller, L. D., and Sutin, N., Nature, 239, 215–217 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

NEIDLE, S., JONES, T. Crystal structure of proflavine, a DNA binding agent. Nature 253, 284–285 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/253284a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/253284a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Navigation