Title
Photochromic switching of the DNA helicity induced by azobenzene derivatives
Author
Marco Deiana, Ziemowit Pokladek, Joanna Olesiak-Banska, Piotr Młynarz, Marek Samoc, Katarzyna Matczyszyn
Year
2016
Journal
Scientific Reports
Abstract
The photochromic properties of azobenzene, involving conformational changes occurring upon interaction with light, provide an excellent tool to establish new ways of selective regulation applied to biosystems. We report here on the binding of two water-soluble 4-(phenylazo)benzoic acid derivatives (Azo-2N and Azo-3N) with double stranded DNA and demonstrate that the photoisomerization of Azo-3N leads to changes in DNA structure. In particular, we show that stabilization and destabilization of the B-DNA secondary structure can be photochemically induced in situ by light. This photo-triggered process is fully reversible and could be an alternative pathway to control a broad range of biological processes. Moreover, we found that the bicationic Azo-3N exhibited a higher DNA-binding constant than the monocationic Azo-2N pointing out that the number of positive charges along the photosensitive polyamines chain plays a pivotal role in stabilizing the photochrome-DNA complex.
Full Article
Instrument
J-815
Keywords
Circular dichroism, Secondary structure, DNA structure, Materials, Biochemistry