title: Thermodynamic investigation of M-DNA: a novel metal ion-DNA complex.
abstract: The thermodynamics of formation of a novel divalent metal ion-DNA complex known as M-DNA have been investigated using an ethidium bromide (EB) fluorescence assay, and with isothermal titration calorimetry. The process of M-DNA formation was observed from the EB assay to be strongly temperature-dependent. The binding of Zn(2+) to calf thymus (42% GC content) and Escherichia coli (50% GC content) DNA at pH 8.5 exhibited an endothermic cooperative binding process at Zn(2+) concentrations of approximately 0.1 mM, indicating an entropy driven process. This binding process is consistent with a site-specific binding interaction, similar in nature to Z-DNA formation; however, the interaction occurs at much lower metal ion concentrations. The enthalpy of M-DNA formation for calf thymus DNA was determined to be 10.5+/-0.7 and 9+/-2 kJ/mbp at DNA concentrations of 100 and 50 microg ml(-1), respectively. An enthalpy of 13+/-3 kJ/mbp was obtained for M-DNA formation for 50 microg ml(-1) E. coli DNA. No evidence of M-DNA formation was observed in either DNA at pH 7.5 with Zn(2+) or at either pH 7.5 or 8.5 with Mg(2+).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Avenue, SK, S7N 5C9, Saskatoon, Canada. wettig@sask.usask.ca
authors.forename: Shawn D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Wettig
authors.forename: David O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Jeremy S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D004247:DNA