Читать книгу Snyder and Champness Molecular Genetics of Bacteria - Tina M. Henkin - Страница 122

The acridine dyes include proflavine, ethidium, and chloroquine. These compounds insert between the bases of DNA and thereby cause frameshift mutations and inhibit DNA synthesis. Their ability to insert themselves between the bases in DNA has made acridine dyes very useful in genetics and molecular biology. Some of these applications are discussed in later chapters. In general, acridine dyes are not useful as antibiotics because of their toxicity due to their ability to block DNA synthesis in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells. Some members of this large family of antibiotics have long been used as antimalarial drugs because of their ability to block DNA synthesis in the mitochondria (kinetoplasts) of trypanosomes. This is the basis for the antimalarial activity of the tonic water in a gin and tonic.