Inhibition of topoisomerase I function by nitidine and fagaronine

The benzophenanthridine alkaloids nitidine and fagaronine were characterized as inhibitors of topoisomerase I function. In common with the antitumor agent camptothecin, both nitidine and fagaronine stabilized the covalent binary complex formed between calf thymus topoisomerase I and DNA. The effects of these compounds were readily apparent at 0.15-0.3 microM concentrations. Both nitidine and fagaronine inhibited the topoisomerase I-mediated relaxation of supercoiled pSP64 plasmid DNA more effectively than camptothecin; unlike camptothecin, both of these benzophenanthridine alkaloids also bound directly to and mediated the unwinding of B-form DNA. Nitidine and fagaronine were also studied in comparison with camptothecin to determine the sequence specificity of DNA breaks produced from a 32P-end-labeled duplex in the presence of topoisomerase I. All three compounds produced very similar cleavage patterns. The specificity of nitidine and fagaronine for inhibiting topoisomerase I function was studied by measuring the effects of the compounds on the unknotting of P4 DNA by calf thymus topoisomerase II. Moderate inhibition of topoisomerase II-mediated unknotting was obtained, but only in the presence of high (i.e., 40 microM) concentrations of nitidine and fagaronine. In comparison, doxorubicin inhibited topoisomerase II to the same extent as nitidine and fagaronine when it was employed at 2.5 microM concentration and was strongly inhibitory when employed at 10 microM concentration.

Characterization of iron (II).bleomycin-mediated RNA strand scission

The ability of iron(II).bleomycin to mediate RNA degradation was further characterized. At micromolar concentrations, FeII.BLM was shown to effect cleavage of Escherichia coli tRNA(1His) and a Schizosaccharomyces pombe amber suppressor tRNA construct in an efficient fashion. In contrast, E. coli tRNA(Cys) and yeast mitochondrial tRNA(Asp) and tRNA(fMet) precursors were not substrates for FeII.BLM. Also shown to be a good substrate for cleavage by FeII.BLM was yeast 5S ribosomal RNA. Since HIV-1 reverse transcriptase mRNA has previously been shown to be degraded by Fe.BLM (Carter et al., 1990a), members of the three major classes of RNA have now been shown to undergo Fe.BLM-mediated strand scission. For each of the substrate RNAs, cleavage occurred at sites unique to that substrate. Although RNA cleavage occurred at numerous sequences, 5'-G-pyr-3' sites were prominent. Likewise, while cleavage was noted in regions anticipated to be double-stranded, as well as in single-stranded regions, a disproportionate number of cleavages were noted at the junction between single- and double-stranded regions. As found in earlier studies, RNA cleavage was much more selective than DNA cleavage. Further, when RNA cleavage was carried out in the presence of reagents such as Mg2+, spermidine, and NaCl, the selectivity of cleavage was further enhanced. The highly selective and efficient cleavage of a number of RNA molecules reinforces our earlier suggestion that RNA may constitute a therapeutically relevant target for bleomycin.

Amplification of protein expression in a cell free system

Large quantities of a catalytically active protein have been produced in a cell free system. More than 10(9) copies of protein were produced from each DNA plasmid containing DNAfol, the bacterial gene encoding dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). The strategy employed, denoted gene amplification with transcription/translation (GATT), involves sequential coupling of (i) DNA amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and (ii) in vitro RNA transcription by T7 RNA polymerase, followed by (iii) translation of the run-off transcripts in a rabbit reticulocyte system. The protein product had the expected size (18 kDa) and catalyzed the NADPH-dependent reduction of 7,8-dihydrofolic acid to 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolic acid as efficiently as authentic DHFR. Potential applications of the strategy include large scale production of enzymes containing synthetic amino acids and facilitation of the characterization of the function of genes encountered in genomic mapping studies.

Site-specific DNA cleavage by antisense oligonucleotides covalently linked to phenazine di-N-oxide

Site-specific degradation of DNA was achieved by the use of DNA oligonucleotides covalently tethered to phenazine 5,10-di-N-oxide. When annealed to a complementary DNA target strand, the antisense oligonucleotide effected alkylation of guanosine residues in proximity to the phenazine di-N-oxide prosthetic group. Admixture of dithiothreitol to the formed duplex resulted in reductive activation of the phenazine di-N-oxide moiety with concomitant generation of diffusible oxygen radicals; the latter effected strand scission of the target DNA oligonucleotide. Several parameters of DNA degradation were studied, including the effect on DNA degradation of chain length in the tether connecting the oligonucleotides and prosthetic group, the relative efficiencies of DNA cleavage when the prosthetic group was in the middle or at the end of the antisense oligonucleotide, and the effect of O2 on DNA degradation. Also studied was the actual chemistry of DNA oligonucleotide degradation and the ability of individual diastereomers of the modified oligonucleotides to mediate degradation of the target DNA.

9-Octadecynoic acid: a novel DNA binding agent

A novel bioassay was developed to permit the identification of cytotoxic natural principles that bind to DNA. A hexane extract of Schoepfia californica cytotoxic to cultured KB cells displayed much less cytotoxic potential when the culture medium contained exogenously added calf thymus DNA. Fractionation of the extract afforded a purified principle shown to be 9-octadecynoic acid, an 18-carbon, unbranched acetylenic fatty acid. 9-Octadecynoic acid had an apparent DNA dissociation constant of 1.8 mM; it inhibited topoisomerase I mediated DNA filter binding but did not inhibit the DNA topoisomerase I mediated relaxation of a supercoiled plasmid DNA. The fatty acid was weakly inhibitory to DNA polymerase alpha. 9-Octadecynoic acid possesses none of the structural characteristics of known DNA binding molecules and may bind to DNA by some novel mechanism.

Synthesis of water-soluble (aminoalkyl)camptothecin analogues: inhibition of topoisomerase I and antitumor activity

Water-soluble analogues of the antitumor alkaloid camptothecin (1) were prepared in which aminoalkyl groups were introduced into ring A or B. Most of the analogues were prepared by oxidation of camptothecin to 10-hydroxycamptothecin (2) followed by a Mannich reaction to give N-substituted 9-(aminomethyl)-10-hydroxycamptothecins (4-12) or by subsequent modification of Mannich product 4 (13, 15, 17, 19, 21). Others were obtained by modification of the hydroxyl group of 2 (25,26) or by total synthesis (35,42,43). These analogues, as well as some of their synthetic precursors, were evaluated for inhibition of topoisomerase I, cytotoxicity, and antitumor activity. Although there was not a quantitative correlation between these assays, compounds that inhibited topoisomerase I were also cytotoxic and demonstrated antitumor activity in vivo. Further evaluation of the most active water-soluble analogue led to the selection of 9-[(dimethylamino)methyl]-10-hydroxycamptothecin (4, SK&F 104864) for development as an antitumor agent. In addition to its water solubility, ease of synthesis from natural camptothecin, and high potency, 4 demonstrated broad-spectrum activity in preclinical tumor models and is currently undergoing Phase I clinical trials in cancer patients.

Construction and processing of transfer RNA precursor models

Several "dimeric" tRNA molecules were constructed as potential substrates for ribonuclease P (RNase P) and for M1 RNA, the catalytic subunit of RNase P. Construction was affected by the T4 RNA ligase-mediated coupling of a mature Escherichia coli tRNA (acceptor substrate) and nucleotides 1-36 of yeast tRNAPhe (donor substrate), followed by annealing of the 3'-half of yeast tRNAPhe (nucleotides 38-76). E. coli RNase P and M1 RNA were both found to cleave the dimeric tRNA precursor model constructed from E. coli tRNAPhe (5'-tRNA) and yeast tRNAPhe (3'-tRNA) in a reaction that was dependent on the presence of the annealed 3'-half molecule derived from yeast tRNAPhe, or on some conformation imposed by the presence of this species; the product had the same mobility as authentic E. coli tRNAPhe on a polyacrylamide gel. By utilizing tRNA precursor models radiolabeled at phosphodiesters immediately preceding or following the putative site of processing, cleavage of the substrate by both M1 RNA and the holoenzyme was demonstrated to occur at the expected phosphate ester linkage. The results obtained here suggest that the endonucleolytic separation of two tRNAs by RNase P is dependent on one or more structural features in the 3'-half of the 3'-tRNA, and thus are consistent with the report of McClain et al. (McClain, W. H., Guerrier-Takada, C., and Altman, S. (1987) Science 238, 527-530) that identifies the T stem and loop as a possible recognition site.

Metal ion and substrate structure dependence of the processing of tRNA precursors by RNase P and M1 RNA

A synthetic tRNA precursor analog containing the structural elements of Escherichia coli tRNA(Phe) was characterized as a substrate for E. coli ribonuclease P and for M1 RNA, the catalytic RNA subunit. Processing of the synthetic precursor exhibited a Mg2+ dependence quite similar to that of natural tRNA precursors such as E. coli tRNA(Tyr) precursor. It was found that Sr2+, Ca2+, and Ba2+ ions promoted processing of the dimeric precursor at Mg2+ concentrations otherwise insufficient to support processing; very similar behavior was noted for E. coli tRNA(Tyr). As noted previously for natural tRNA precursors, the absence of the 3'-terminal CA sequence in the synthetic precursor diminished the facility of processing of this substrate by RNase P and M1 RNA. A study of the Mg2+ dependence of processing of the synthetic tRNA dimeric substrate radiolabeled between C75 and A76 provided unequivocal evidence for an alteration in the actual site of processing by E. coli RNase P as a function of Mg2+ concentration. This property was subsequently demonstrated to obtain (Carter, B. J., Vold, B.S., and Hecht, S. M. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 7100-7103) for a mutant Bacillus subtilis tRNAHis precursor containing a potential A-C base pair at the end of the acceptor stem.

Site-specific cleavage of RNA by Fe(II).bleomycin

Bleomycin is an antitumor agent whose activity has long been thought to derive from its ability to degrade DNA. Recent findings suggest that cellular RNA may be a therapeutically relevant locus. At micromolar concentrations, Fe(II)-bleomycin readily cleaved a Bacillus subtilis tRNAHis precursor in a highly selective fashion, but Escherichia coli tRNA(Tyr) precursor was largely unaffected even under more forcing conditions. Other substrates included an RNA transcript encoding a large segment of the reverse transcriptase from human immunodeficiency virus 1. RNA cleavage was oxidative, approximately 10-fold more selective than DNA cleavage, and largely unaffected by nonsubstrate RNAs. RNA sequence analysis suggested recognition of RNA tertiary structure, rather than recognition of specific sequences; subsets of nucleotides at the junction of single- and double-stranded regions were especially susceptible to cleavage. The ready accessibility of cellular RNAs to xenobiotic agents, the high selectivity of bleomycin action on RNAs, and the paucity of mechanisms for RNA repair suggest that RNA may be a therapeutically relevant target for bleomycin.

Irreversible trapping of the DNA-topoisomerase I covalent complex. Affinity labeling of the camptothecin binding site

Camptothecin (CPT) binds reversibly to, and thereby stabilizes, the cleavable complex formed between DNA and topoisomerase I. The nature of the interaction of CPT with the DNA-topoisomerase I binary complex was studied by the use of two affinity labeling reagents structurally related to camptothecin: 10-bromoacetamidomethylcamptothecin (BrCPT) and 7-methyl-10-bromoacetamidomethylcamptothecin (BrCPTMe). These compounds have been shown to trap the DNA-topoisomerase I complex irreversibly. Although cleavage of DNA plasmid mediated by topoisomerase I and camptothecin was reduced significantly by treatment with high salt or excess competitor DNA, enzyme-mediated DNA cleavage stabilized by BrCTPMe persisted for at least 4 h after similar treatment. The production of irreversible topoisomerase I-DNA cleavage was time-dependent, suggesting that BrCPTMe first bound noncovalently to the enzyme-DNA complex and, in a second slower step, alkylated the enzyme or DNA in a manner that prevented DNA ligation. The formation of a covalent linkage was supported by experiments that employed [3H]BrCPT, which was shown to label topoisomerase I within the enzyme-DNA complex. [3H]BrCPT labeling of topoisomerase I was enhanced greatly by the presence of DNA; very little labeling of isolated topoisomerase I or isolated DNA occurred. Even in the presence of DNA, [3H]BrCPT labeling of topoisomerase I was inhibited by camptothecin, suggesting that both CPT and BrCPT bound to the same site on the DNA-topoisomerase I binary complex. These studies provide further evidence that a binding site for camptothecin is created as the DNA-topoisomerase I complex is formed and suggest that the A-ring of camptothecin is proximate to an enzyme residue.

On the chemical nature of DNA and RNA modification by a hemin model system

In order to model the interaction of hemin with DNA and other polynucleotides, we have studied the degradation of DNA, RNA, and polynucleotides of defined structure by [meso-tetrakis(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphinato]manganese(III) (MnTMPP) + KHSO5. The activated porphyrin was shown to release adenine, thymine, and cytosine from DNA; RNA degradation afforded adenine, uracil, and cytosine. The same products were obtained from single- and double-stranded DNA oligonucleotides of defined sequence, and also from single-stranded DNA and RNA homopolymers. The overall yield of bases from the dode-canucleotide d(CGCT3A3GCG) was equal to 14% of the nucleotides present initially, indicating that each porphyrin catalyzed the release of approximately 4 bases. Although no guanine was detected as a product from any of the substrates studied, the ability of MnTMPP + KHSO5 to degrade guanine nucleotides was verified by the destruction of pGp, and by the appearance of bands corresponding to guanosine cleavage following treatment of 32P end labeled DNA restriction fragments with activated MnTMPP. Inspection of a number of sites of MnTMPP-promoted cleavage indicated that the process was sequence-selective, occurring primarily at G residues that were part of 5'-TG-3' or 5'-AG-3' sequences, or at T residues. Also formed in much greater abundance were alkali-labile lesions; these were formed largely at guanosine residues. Also studied was the degradation of a 47-nucleotide RNA molecule containing two hairpins. Degradation of the 5'-32P end labeled RNA substrate afforded no distinct, individual bands, suggesting that multiple modes of degradation may be operative.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Control of the position of RNase P-mediated transfer RNA precursor processing

Two Bacillus subtilis tRNA(His) precursors (Green, C. J., and Vold, B. S. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 652-657) were processed by Escherichia coli RNase P in the presence of varying [Mg2+]. The wild type precursor was processed under all conditions to afford a single tRNA product containing 8 base pairs in the acceptor stem. In contrast, the position of processing of a mutant tRNA(His) precursor (containing a G27----A27 alteration) was shown to be condition-dependent. Processing occurred at A27 under conditions consistent with formation of an A27-C100 base pair in the acceptor stem but at G28 under conditions that disfavored base pair formation. The ability to control the site of RNase P-mediated tRNA precursor processing is unprecedented and permits analysis of the chemical factors that promote processing.

A Mn2(+)-dependent ribozyme

An RNA hairpin identical in sequence with the one formed during autocyclization of the 414-nucleotide Tetrahymena intervening sequence undergoes strand scission at a specific site in the presence of Mn2+. In addition to representing one of the smallest and simplest ribozymes possible, strand scission occurs readily under physiological conditions, is unaffected by the presence of Mg2+, and displays salt, pH, and temperature optima of potential use in exploiting Mn2+ as a regulatory switch in intact cells. The chemistry of strand scission of the RNA hairpin is described, as is the Mn2(+)-dependent solvolysis of a 231-nucleotide RNA transcript containing this structural motif.

A role for the metal binding domain in determining the DNA sequence selectivity of Fe-bleomycin

Previous studies of Fe-bleomycin-mediated DNA cleavage have established that the bithiazole moiety + C-terminal substituent of bleomycin are required for DNA binding, while the metal binding domain is responsible for O2 activation. Although recent studies have indicated that the metal binding domain also participates in DNA unwinding, and in determining the sequence and strand selectivity of DNA cleavage, no study has defined the structural domain that bears primary responsibility for the observed pattern of bleomycin-mediated DNA degradation. Presently, by the use of four synthetic analogs of bleomycin demethyl A2 having the functional domains connected by rigid spacers of varying lengths, the source of DNA cleavage specificity has been determined. When the four analogs cleaved 242- and 127-base pair 5'-32P-end-labeled DNA restriction fragments containing isolated Fe-bleomycin cleavage sites, all four produced cleavage at the same preferred sites. Because the (oligo)glycine spacers altered the distance between the domains by as much as 14 A, the identical cleavage patterns argue that the primary determinant of sequence specificity for these analogs is the metal binding domain.

Preparation of misacylated aminoacyl-tRNA(Phe)'s useful as probes of the ribosomal acceptor site

Several pyroglutamylaminoacyl-tRNA's were prepared by T4 RNA ligase mediated condensation of synthetic pyroglutamylaminoacyl-pCpA's with tRNA's from which the last two nucleotides at the 3'-end had been removed. The derived pyroglutamylaminoacyl-tRNA's were incubated in the presence of calf liver pyroglutamate aminopeptidase, which effected their conversion to free aminoacyl-tRNA's. The lack of contaminating esterase activities in the pyroglutamate aminopeptidase was verified by direct assay for the presence of the aminoacyl moieties in the formed aminoacyl-tRNA's and by the use of the deblocked aminoacyl-tRNA's as acceptors in the peptidyltransferase reaction using an Escherichia coli ribosomal system. These findings provide the wherewithal for a detailed investigation of the substrate specificity of the peptidyltransferase center and for the elaboration of polypeptides containing modified amino acids at predetermined sites.

On the mechanism of topoisomerase I inhibition by camptothecin: evidence for binding to an enzyme-DNA complex

Camptothecin, a cytotoxic antitumor compound, has been shown to produce protein-linked DNA breaks mediated by mammalian topoisomerase I. We have investigated the mechanism by which camptothecin disrupts DNA processing by topoisomerase I and have examined the effect of certain structurally related compounds on the formation of a DNA-topoisomerase I covalent complex. Enzyme-mediated cleavage of supercoiled plasmid DNA in the presence of camptothecin was completely reversed upon the addition of exogenous linear DNA or upon dilution of the reaction mixture. Camptothecin and topoisomerase I produced the same amount of cleavage from supercoiled DNA or relaxed DNA. In addition, the alkaloid decreased the initial velocity of supercoiled DNA relaxation mediated by catalytic quantities of topoisomerase I. Inhibition occurred under conditions favoring processive catalysis as well as under conditions favoring distributive catalysis. By use of [3H]camptothecin and an equilibrium dialysis assay, the alkaloid was shown to bind reversibly to a DNA-topoisomerase I complex, but not to isolated enzyme or isolated DNA. These results are consistent with a model in which camptothecin reversibly traps an intermediate involved in DNA unwinding by topoisomerase I and thereby perturbs a set of equilibria, resulting in increased DNA cleavage. By examining certain compounds that are structurally related to camptothecin, it was found that the 20-hydroxy group, which has been shown to be essential for antitumor activity, was also necessary for stabilization of the covalent complex between DNA and topoisomerase I. In contrast, no such correlation existed for UV-light-induced cleavage of DNA by Cu(II)-camptothecin derivatives.

Substrate specificity of bleomycin hydrolase

Bleomycin (BLM) hydrolase is believed to protect both malignant and normal tissue from the toxicity of the antitumor drug BLM. Little is known about the substrate specificity of BLM hydrolase. Thus, we developed ion-paired reverse phase high speed liquid chromatography systems to assay for the metabolism of several BLM analogs. We found that BLM A2, BLM B2, tallysomycin S10b (TLM S10b), peplomycin (PEP), butylamino-3-propylamino-3-propylamine bleomycin (BAPP), deglyco bleomycin A2 (dgBLM A2) and bleomycinic acid were each metabolized by rabbit lung BLM hydrolase to a single metabolite. When compared to their corresponding parent compounds, these metabolites were 6- to 35-fold less potent in their ability to inhibit the proliferation of A-253 human head and neck squamous carcinoma cells in culture. Furthermore, we found that substitutions in various regions of the BLM molecule greatly affected the kinetic parameters of BLM hydrolase. For example, the Km with BLM B2 (0.056 +/- 0.005 mM) was 15-fold lower than that seen with BLM A2 (0.83 +/- 0.11 mM). In contrast, the Vmax was not affected markedly by these terminal amine substitutions but was influenced greatly by deletion of the carbohydrate groups of BLM. For example, a 4-fold higher Vmax was observed with dgBLM A2 compared to BLM A2. Thus, these results demonstrate that BLM hydrolase can recognize and metabolize a broad spectrum of BLM analogs regardless of their structural features. This enzymatic conversion resulted in the inactivation of the BLMs as demonstrated by a substantial decrease in their cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the terminal amine and carbohydrate regions, respectively, dictate the apparent affinity and the rate of metabolism of BLM hydrolase substrates.

Ribosomal binding and dipeptide formation by misacylated tRNA(Phe),S

Eight structurally modified peptidyl-tRNA(Phe),s were employed to study P-site binding and peptide bond formation in a cell-free system involving Escherichia coli ribosomes programmed with poly(uridylic acid). It was found that the two analogues (N-acetyl-D-phenylalanyl-tRNA(Phe) and N-acetyl-D-tyrosyl-tRNA(Phe] containing D-amino acids functioned poorly as donors in the peptidyltransferase reaction and that two N-acetyl-L-phenylalanyl-tRNA(Phe)'s differing from the prototype substrate in that they contained 2'- or 3'-deoxyadenosine at the 3'-terminus failed to form dipeptide at all when L-phenylalanyl-tRNA(Phe) was the acceptor tRNA. Interestingly, all four of these peptidyl-tRNA's bound to ribosomes to about the same extent as tRNA's that functioned normally as donors in the peptidyltransferase reaction, at least in the absence of competing peptidyl-tRNA species. Two peptidyl-tRNA's lacking an amino group were also tested. In comparison with N-acetyl-L-phenylalanyl-tRNA(Phe) it was found that trans-cinnamyl-tRNA(Phe) and 3-phenylpropionyl-tRNA(Phe)'s formed dipeptides to the extent of 53 and 80%, respectively, when L-phenylalanyl-tRNA(Phe)was used as the acceptor tRNA. N-Acetyl-beta-phenylalanyl-tRNA(Phe) was found to be the most efficient donor substrate studied. Both isomers transferred N-acetyl-beta-phenylalanine to L-phenylalanyl-tRNA(Phe); the nature of the dipeptides formed in each case was verified by HPLC in comparison with authentic synthetic samples. Further, the rate and extent of peptide bond formation in each case exceeded that observed with the control tRNA, N-acetyl-L-phenylalanyl-tRNA(Phe).

Oligonucleotide N-alkylphosphoramidates: synthesis and binding to polynucleotides

A few different methods for the preparation of oligonucleotide N-alkylphosphoramidates were compared directly. One of these, involving the use of protected nucleoside phosphites as building blocks, provided the requisite N-alkylphosphoramidates via oxidation of the intermediate dinucleoside methyl phosphites with iodine in the presence of the appropriate alkylamine. This method was found to have several attractive features, including the use of building blocks identical with those employed for the synthesis of DNA and compatibility with procedures and instruments employed for the stepwise synthesis of oligonucleotides by solution and solid-phase methods. This procedure was used to make several di-, tri-, and tetranucleotide N-alkylphosphoramidates derived from deoxyadenosine and thymidine; alkyl substituents included N,N-dimethyl, N-butyl, N-octyl, N-dodecyl, and N-(5-aminopentyl). The aminoalkyl derivative of d(TpT) (24) was used to demonstrate the feasibility of introducing an intercalative agent to the alkylphosphoramidate moiety of such derivatives. The oligonucleotide N-alkylphosphoramidates were separated into their component diastereomers and characterized structurally by a number of techniques including circular dichroism, high-field 1H NMR spectroscopy, FAB mass spectrometry, and enzymatic digestion to authentic nucleosides and nucleotides. Physicochemical characterization of several di- and trinucleotide alkyl-phosphoramidates revealed that the adenine nucleotide analogues formed stable complexes with poly-(thymidylic acid). The stabilities of these complexes were found to increase with increasing chain length of the N-alkylphosphoramidate substituents. The finding that N-alkylphosphoramidate substituents can enhance the binding of certain oligonucleotides to their complementary polynucleotides suggests the existence of a novel source of polynucleotide affinity.

5-Alkylresorcinols from Hakea amplexicaulis that cleave DNA

A dichloromethane extract of Hakea amplexicaulis was found to cause strand scission of phi X174 replicative form DNA in the presence of Cu(II). Bioassay-guided fractionation of this extract afforded five compounds capable of mediating DNA relaxation. Structure determination of the active principles indicated that they were 5-tridecylresorcinol (1), 5-pentadec-cis-8-enylresorcinol (2), 5-heptadeca-8,11-dienylresorcinol (3), 5-pentadecylresorcinol (4), and 5-heptadec-cis-8-enylresorcinol (5). As noted previously for compounds in this structural series, DNA cleavage was enhanced significantly by incubation under (alkaline) conditions known to promote oxygenation of the parent compounds on the aromatic nucleus.