title: Controlling Cooperativity in β-Cyclodextrin-DNA Binding Reactions.
abstract: We have investigated the interaction between the native neutral β-cyclodextrin (CD) and the DNA molecule by performing single-molecule stretching experiments with optical tweezers. In particular, we have monitored the changes of the mechanical properties of the CD-DNA complexes as a function of the CD concentration in the sample. By using a quenched disorder statistical model, we were also capable to extract important physicochemical information (equilibrium binding constants, cooperativity degree) of such interaction from the mechanical data. In addition, we have found that the interaction occurs by two different mechanisms, first with the formation of relatively large CD clusters along the double helix, which thereafter can locally denature the DNA molecule by forming hydrogen bonds with the base pairs that eventually flip out. A prediction of our quenched disorder model was that cooperativity could be controlled by adjusting the surface charge of β-CD molecules. This prediction is confirmed in the present work.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil.
authors.forename: O N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Mesquita
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Viçosa , Av. P. H. Rolfs s/n, Viçosa, Minas Gerais 36570-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D000495:Allosteric Site; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D047392:beta-Cyclodextrins / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D047392:beta-Cyclodextrins; D004247:DNA; C031215:betadex
keywords: DNA; cooperative binding; cyclodextrin; persistence length