DNA hydrolysis promoted by 1,7-dimethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane

Several acyclic and macrocyclic polyamines were evaluated for their ability to cleave DNA. 1,7-Dimethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (DMC) could hydrolyze double-strand DNA at a concentration of 25 μM. pH 7.2 was the optimal condition to cleave DNA in the presence of DMC. Supercoiled DNA hydrolytic cleavage by DMC was supported by the evidence from free radical quenching and T4 ligase ligation.