To elaborate the peroxidase activity of cytochrome c in the generation of free radicals from $H_2O_2$, the mechanism of DNA cleavage mediated by the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system was investigated. When plasmid DNA was incubated with cytochrome c and $H_2O_2$, the cleavage of DNA was proportional to the cytochrome c and $H_2O_2$ concentrations. Radical scavengers, such as azide, mannitol, and ethanol, significantly inhibited the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system-mediated DNA cleavage. These results indicated that free radicals might participate in the DNA cleavage by the cytochrome c and $H_2O_2$ system. Incubation of cytochrome c with $H_2O_2$ resulted in a time-dependent release of iron ions from the cytochrome c molecule. During the incubation of deoxyribose with cytochrome c and $H_2O_2$, the damage to deoxyribose increased in a time-dependent manner, suggesting that the released iron ions may participate in a Fenton-like reaction to produce $cdot$OH radicals that may cause the DNA cleavage. Evidence that the iron-specific chelator, desferoxamine (DFX), prevented the DNA cleavage induced by the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system supports this mechanism. Thus we suggest that DNA cleavage is mediated via the generation of $cdot$OH by a combination of the peroxidase reaction of cytochrome c and the Fenton-like reaction of free iron ions released from oxidatively damaged cytochrome c in the cytochrome c/$H_2O_2$ system.