Trush M A, Mimnaugh E G, Siddik Z H, Gram T E
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1983 Apr 29;112(2):378-83. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(83)91474-2.
Chemiluminescence often accompanies the spontaneous degradation of intermediates in an electronically excited state. The interaction of iron with bleomycin results in the activation of bleomycin to a reactive intermediate which can alter DNA or undergo self-inactivation. This report demonstrates that the interaction of ferrous iron with bleomycin results in chemiluminescence, that this response is iron-specific and that the presence of DNA prevents the generation of chemiluminescence. These observations suggest that the activated bleomycin intermediate may be in an electronically excited state.
