THE PROTECTIVE PROPERTIES OF CARNOSINE AND BETA-CYCLODEXTRIN IN PHOTOREACTIONS OF NUCLEIC-ACID BASES

Carnosine and related compounds were tested for protection of thymine in photoreduction by thr combined action of UV light and hypophosphite . Carnosine. homocarnosine and anserine were found to be the best prot ectors sufficiently preserving thymine photoconversion at 10 mM and pr actically Fully suppressing the reaction at 50 mM. The action of compo unds tested for thymine protection was as follows: anserine > homocarn osine > camosine much greater than histidine = N-methylimidazole > his tamine much greater than imidazole. It was also shown that beta-cyclod extrin effectively protects thymine in TpT against the action of UV li ght and NaH2PO2.