title: DNA-ligand binding mode discrimination by characterizing fluorescence resonance energy transfer through lifetime measurements with picosecond resolution.
abstract: We describe a method for distinguishing between minor groove binders and base intercalators that is based on measurements of the fluorescence lifetime of a donor (D) in the presence of an acceptor (A). The D-A pair is separated by a short double helix DNA with which the ligands interact. By plotting the D fluorescence lifetime as a function of the ligand-to-base pair concentration ratio we find a clear signature that distinguishes between the two binding mechanisms: minor groove binding induces an asymptotic decrease of the D fluorescence lifetime, while intercalation gives a monotonically increasing lifetime and the appearance of an additional short lifetime. We assayed Quinacrine, Hoechst and 4'-6'diamidine-2-phenyl indole, which in control experiments performed on oligodeoxyribonucleotides (oligos) lacking the A are demonstrated not to interfere with the D fluorescence. The changes in fluorescence lifetimes measured in the case of dual-labeled oligos are thus caused by structural changes in the DNA that modify the D-A distance. The appearance of the short-lived transient in the fluorescence decay of Ds attached to dual-labeled oligos upon binding of an intercalator can be interpreted as denaturation.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica e Matematica, Universita' degli Studi dell'Insubria, Como, Italy. luca.nardo@uninsubria.it
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nardo
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bondani
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andreoni
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; D008024:Ligands; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D004247:DNA