Inactivation of lambda phage infectivity and lambda deoxyribonucleic acid transfection by N-methyl-isatin beta-thiosemicarbazone-copper complexes.

The infectivity of intact lambda phage and transfection by lambda deoxyribonucleic acid were inactivated by exposure to the copper complexes of N-methyl-isatin beta-thiosemicarbazone, thiosemicarbazide, and semicarbazide, but not methyl-isatin. No inactivation was observed when these compounds were used in the absence of copper sulfate. This confirms our previous observation that the activity of N-methyl-isatin beta-thiosemicarbazone is mediated by its thiosemicarbazone moiety and that the presence of copper is required for action. This represents the first time, to our knowledge, that semicarbazide has been found to possess antiviral activity. It is clear that these compounds act directly on deoxyribonucleic acid; whether the compounds also act on proteins has not been determined.