Cadmium nucleic acids

Hi) Poly amines. In many respects the role of poly amines in plant functioning is still mysterious after many years work. They are almost certainly involved in the control of growth and development through their interactions with nucleic acids and membranes (Smith, 1985). There is increasing circumstantial evidence for their involvement, especially of putrescine, in plant responses to a wide range of stresses including pH, Mg deficiency, osmotic shock, cold, SO2 pollution, and cadmium and ammonium toxicity (Smith, 1985). It remains to be determined, however, how, and indeed whether, putrescine accumulation in response to these diverse stresses is beneficial. 

Most of the reports about interactions of metals with nucleic acids and their metabolism are based on studies with bacteria and animals. Information from higher plants is rather poor. Ernst (1980) cited an increase of the number of structural chromosome aberrations after cadmium treatment of Crepis capillaris seeds. 

Metal-Nucleoside, -Nucleotide, and-Nucleic Acid Interactions.—The crystal structure of a cadmium derivative of cytidine 5 -monophosphate [Cd(5 -CMP)(H20)]H20 has been reported, in which cadmium is bonded to the N(3) position oh the base, to a phosphate oxygen from each of three other 5 -CMP groups and to a water molecule. In the crystal of bis-(8-azahypoxanthinato)tetra-aquocadmium(ii), the metal is six co-ordinate, two purines being co-ordinated to cadmium through N(7). ... 

Stoeppler M (1991) Cadmium. In Merian E (ed) Metals and their compounds in the environment. VCH, New York, pp 803-851 Stoll R, White J, Miya T, Bousquet W (1976) Effects of cadmium on nucleic acid and protein synthesis in rat liver. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 37 61-74 Stowe HD, Wilson M, Goyer RA (1972) Clinical and morphological effects of oral cadmium toxicity in rabbits. Arch Pathol 94 389-405 Sunderman FW Jr (1978) Carcinogenic effects of metals. Fed Proc 37 40-46 Sunderman FW Jr, Barber AM (1988) Finger loops, oncogenes, and metals. Ann Clin Lab Sci 18 267-288... 

Nocentini S (1987) Inhibition of DNA replication and repair by cadmium in mammalian cells. Protective interaction by zinc. Nucleic Acids Res 15 4211-4225 Oberly TJ, Piper CE, McDonald DS (1982) Mutagenicity of metal salts in the L5178Y mouse lymphoma assay. J Toxicol Environ Health 9 367-376 Ochi T, Ohsawa M (1983) Induction of 6-thioguanine-resistant mutants and singlestrand scission of DNA by cadmium chloride in cultured Chinese hamster cells. Mutat Res 111 69-78... 

INTERRELATIONSHIPS. Zinc is involved in many relationships in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids in interference with the utilization of copper, iron, and other trace minerals, when there are excess dietary levels of zinc in protection against the toxic effects of cadmium, when there is ample dietary zinc in reduced absorption, when there are high dietary levels of calcium, phosphorus, and copper. 

Complex Formation of Cadmium with Sugar Residues, Nucleobases, Phosphates, Nucleotides, and Nucleic Acids... 

More detailed information on cadmium(II) binding to nucleic acids is available from a small number of crystal structures of RNA as well as RNA- or DNA-protein... 

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