Description

• General description: Actinomycin D is a polypeptide antibiotic first described by Waksman. It is bacteriostatic in nature, especially towards gram negative bacteria, and also has anti-tumor activity.[1]
• Application: Actinomycin D has a wide-ranging applications ranging from a selection agent in cell culture, use in studies of suppressing HIV-replication and programmed cell death of PC12 cells.
• Biochem/physiol Actions: Actinomycin D inhibits the proliferation of cells by forming a stable complex with double-stranded DNA, inhibiting DNA-primed RNA synthesis and causing single-stranded breaks in DNA. It has been shown to be an inhibitor of the minus-strand transfer step in reverse transcriptase.
• Caution: This product is hygroscopic and light-sensitive. If stored protected from light and moisture at 2-8°C, it remains unchanged, by HPLC testing, for at least 15 months. Unused dilute solutions of Actinomycin D are extremely sensitive to light and tend to adsorb to plastic and glass and should be discarded. However, frozen aliquots of concentrated stock solution are stable for at least a month.
• Preparation Note: Actinomycin D is sold as red, shiny crystals and is soluble in acetonitrilie or acetone at 10 mg/mL and in DMSO at a minimum of 1 mg/mL. Some references also show slight solubility in water of 0.5 mg/mL.
• Other Notes: Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place. Keep in a dry place.