A PYROLYSIS-GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC MASS-SPECTROMETRIC METHOD FOR MEASURING THE DNA CONTENT OF CULTURED-MAMMALIAN-CELLS

The DNA content of mammalian cells measured by a pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass (Py-GC/MS) spectrometry method was compared with results from an established colorimetric method based on reaction with diphenylamine. N-Acetylglucosamine was employed as an internal standard for calibration of the Py-GC/MS method. The single step Py-GC/MS procedure for DNA determination described in this report involves minimal sample manipulation and has a detection limit of about 100 ng DNA. The ability of Py-GC/MS to quantitate cellular DNA levels suggests that this approach may also be applicable to determine the amounts of other cellular constitutents in complex biological systems.