Caffeic acid binds to the minor groove of calf thymus DNA: A multi-spectroscopic, thermodynamics and molecular modelling study.
Caffeic acid (CA) is a plant polyphenol which acts as an antioxidant and has various pharmacological effects. DNA is one of the major cellular targets of therapeutic molecules. Thus, studying the interaction of small molecules with DNA is of great importance. In the current article, we have studied the mode of binding of CA with calf thymus DNA (Ct-DNA) using a series of biophysical techniques. Formation of complex between CA and Ct-DNA is ascertained by analyzing the UV-vis absorbance and fluorescence emission spectra of CA upon successive addition of Ct-DNA. Binding constants of CA with Ct-DNA obtained using multiple experiments was in the order of 103 M-1 which is consistent with known groove binders. Analysis of thermodynamic parameters suggest that hydrogen bonding and van der Waal's forces played major role in the binding process. Competitive displacement studies confirmed that CA binds to the minor groove of Ct-DNA. These observations were further validated by KI quenching experiment, DNA melting studies, CD and viscosity measurements. In silico molecular docking further provided insight into the mode of binding of CA with Ct-DNA. Through in vitro experiments and in silico molecular docking studies, it was concluded that CA binds to the minor groove of Ct-DNA.
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, A.M. University, Aligarh, U.P. 202002, India.
Tarique
T
Sarwar
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, A.M. University, Aligarh, U.P. 202002, India.
Hassan Mubarak
HM
Ishqi
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, A.M. University, Aligarh, U.P. 202002, India.
Sayeed Ur
SU
Rehman
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, A.M. University, Aligarh, U.P. 202002, India.
Mohammed Amir
MA
Husain
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, A.M. University, Aligarh, U.P. 202002, India.
Yusra
Y
Rahman
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, A.M. University, Aligarh, U.P. 202002, India. Electronic address: tabish.bcmlab@gmail.com.
Mohammad
M
Tabish
D000818:Animals; D002109:Caffeic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D062105:Molecular Docking Simulation; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009691:Nucleic Acid Denaturation; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013816:Thermodynamics
D002109:Caffeic Acids; D004247:DNA; C427203:calf thymus DNA; C040048:caffeic acid
Caffeic acid; Calf thymus DNA; Groove binding; Melting study; Molecular docking