Release of free bases from deoxyribonucleic acid after reaction with bleomycin.

Labeled free bases could be detected chromatographically after reaction of deoxyribonucleic acid with high concentrations of the antibiotic bleomycin. Thymine, adenine, guanine, and cytosine were released from DNAs previously labeled in the base moiety with each of the four bases. No detectable amounts of nucleosides, nucleotides, deoxyribose, deoxyribose phosphate, or inorganic phosphate were released.