Dimethylnitrosamine-induced structural damage to DNA results from repair of O6-methylguanine rather than repair of 7-methylguanine

DNA isolated from the livers of rats treated with a non-necrotizing dose of [14C]dimethylnitrosamine was fractionated by chromatography of benzoylated-DEAE-cellulose. The preparations of native DNA and DNA containing single stranded regions were then hydrolysed and amounts of methylated guanine determined. Four hours after dimethylnitrosamine treatment there was no difference in the levels of 7-methylguanine and O6-methylguanine in the 2 DNA fractions. By 24 h, although there was no difference in the amount of 7-methylguanine between the DNA fractions, there was a 10-fold difference in the level of O6-methylguanine. The elimination of O6-methylguanine from the fraction of DNA containing single stranded regions is discussed in terms of differing repair processes initiated by 7-methylguanine and O6-methylguanine.