DNA interstrand cross-linking by a mycotoxic diepoxide.

The diepoxide mycotoxin (2R, 3R, 8R, 9R)-4,6-decadiyne-2,3:8,9-diepoxy-1,10-diol (repandiol) was both isolated from the mushroom Hydnum repandum and synthesized de novo. Repandiol was found to form interstrand cross-links within a restriction fragment of DNA, linking deoxyguanosines on opposite strands primarily within the 5'-GNC and 5'-GNNC sequences preferred by diepoxyoctane. However, repandiol was a significantly less efficient cross-linker than either of the diepoxyalkanes (diepoxyoctane and diepoxybutane) to which it was compared.