Nucleic acid guanine: reaction with the carcinogen N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene.

Reaction of N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene with DNA or RNA at pH 7 causes marked increase in absorption at 280 to 320 millimicrons and marked decrease in guanine content. Reaction with guanosine-8-(14)C yields a radioactive fluorescent derivative. The data suggest that metabolic esters of N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene may be intermediates in the binding of this proximate carcinogen to nucleic acids in vivo.