7-Methylguanine is a modified purinenucleobase. It is a methylated version of guanine. The 7-methylguanine nucleoside is called 7-methylguanosine. However, the free 7-methylguanine base is not involved in the synthesis of nucleotides and not incorporated directly into nucleic acids.[1][2] 7-Methylguanine is a natural inhibitor of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and tRNA guanine transglycosylase (TGT) - and thus may exert anticancer activity.[3][4][5] For example, it was demonstrated that 7-methylguanine could accelerate apoptotic death of BRCA1-deficient breast cancer cells induced by cisplatin and doxorubicin.[6]
^Kaina, B; Heindorff, K; Aurich, O (1983). "O6-methylguanine, but not N7-methylguanine or N3-methyladenine, induces gene mutations, sister-chromatid exchanges and chromosomal aberrations in Chinese hamster cells". Mutat. Res. 108 (1–3): 279–292. doi:10.1016/0027-5107(83)90126-4. PMID6835224.