Reductive alkylation with oxidized nucleotides. Use in affinity labeling or affinity chromatography.

A study has been made of the products of a reaction of oxidized ribonucleotides with a primary amine. As a model reaction, periodate-oxidized adenosine was combined with glycine in the presence of NaCNBH3. The purified major product of this reaction, adenine 9,2'-(4'-carboxymethyl-6'-hydroxymethylmorpholine), was characterized by 13C and 1H NMR spectroscopy, ultraviolet spectroscopy, and thin layer chromatography. When used to generate affinity columns, oxidized adenosine or oxidized ATP formed stable products with immobilized diaminohexane when treated with NaCNBH3. Failure to treat with NaCNBH3 yielded an unstable affinity matrix. These results are used in the interpretation of differing results when oxidized nucleotides have been used as affinity labels for different proteins.