The effects of daunomycin antibiotic on histone H-1, thermal denaturation and fluorescence spectroscopy studies

Using thermal denaturation and fluorescence spectroscopy, we have investiga ted the interaction of antitumor antibiotic, daunomycin, with calf thymus h istone H-1 under several ionic strengths. The results show that daunomycin binds to histone H-1 and increases its melting temperature. Increasing ioni c strength elevates this effect. Fluorescence emission data show that the i nteraction of daunomycin with histone H-1 decreases the emission intensity at 325 nm and induces hyperchromicity in the emission spectrum of the drug. The results suggest that histone H-1 call be considered as a new target fo r drug action at the chromatin level. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.