Denaturation of deoxyribonucleic acid in situ effect of formaldehyde

Abstract

In situ denaturation of nuclear deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is studied by use of acridine orange to differentially stain native versus denatured DNA, and a flow through cytofluorometer for measurements of cell fluorescence. Thermal or acid induced DNA denaturation is markedly influenced by formaldehyde. Two mechanisms of the formaldehyde action are distinguished. If cells are exposed to the agent during heating, DNA denaturation is facilitated, most likely by the direct action of formaldehyde as a 'passive' denaturing agent on DNA. If cells are pretreated with formaldehyde which is then removed, DNA resistance to denaturation increases, presumably due to chromatin cross linking. It is believed that both effects occur simultaneously in conventional techniques employing formaldehyde to study DNA in situ, and that the extent of each varies with the temperature and cell type (chromatin condensation). Thus, profiles of DNA denaturation of cells heated with formaldehyde do not represent characteristics of DNA denaturation in situ; DNA denaturation under these conditions is modulated by the reactivity of chromatin components with formaldehyde rather than by DNA interactions with the macromolecules of nuclear milieu.