DNA Degradation - (Jun/06/2007 )

I am trying to figure out why 4 mgs of DNA would degrade after being aminated with ethylenediamine?

Your experiment send shivers up my spine!

My chemistry has gone to seed. But my guess is that the amine groups on the ethylenediamine are attacking the phosphodiester bonds. Probably by N lone pair (of the amine) attacking the P atom (of the phosphate group), resulting in the electron moving to the P=O, oxygen for a moment. When that electron bounces back, it moves to the oxygen connected to carbon-1. The H+ ion is extracted from the N atom by the leaving O-.

I don't think P-N bound is stable, resulting in the bond quickly being hydrolysed.

Hmm... anybody with better organic chemistry? Is my guess work anywhere close?