Studies on camptothecin-induced degradation and apparent reaggregation of DNA from L1210 cells

Analysis of DNA from L1210 cells treated with camptothecin on alkaline sucrose gradients indicates that the cellular DNA is degraded within one minute at 37°. Degradation also occurs at 0°. Reaggregation of the DNA occurred rapidly at 37°, slowly at 0°. Acriflavine (1 μg/ml) has similar rapid effects on the sedimentation of DNA in alkaline sucrose gradients but does not rapidly inhibit RNA synthesis as does camptothecin.