[Effects on the process of DNA transcription in vitro of formaldehyde and the products of its reaction with amines].

When transcription of DNA treated with aminomethylol compounds (products of formaldehyde reaction with amines) was studied, aminomethylol produced a marked inhibition of the template activity of double-stranded DNA (up to 85%). Formaldehyde suppressed the transcription of native DNA as well, however, only when taken at concentrations exceeding those of the aminomethylol compounds 20-fold.