AUTHOR=Jia Fuchao , Despax Stéphane , Münch Jean-Pierre , Hébraud Pascal 

TITLE=Flexibility of short ds-DNA intercalated by a dipyridophenazine ligand

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry

VOLUME=3

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2015.00025

DOI=10.3389/fchem.2015.00025

ISSN=2296-2646

ABSTRACT=<p>We use Förster Resonant Energy Transfer (FRET) in order to measure the increase of flexibility of short ds-DNA induced by the intercalation of dipyridophenazine (dppz) ligand in between DNA base pairs. By using a DNA double strand fluorescently labeled at its extremities, it is shown that the end-to-end length increase of DNA due to the intercalation of one dppz ligand is smaller than the DNA base pair interdistance. This may be explained either by a local bending of the DNA or by an increase of its flexibility. The persistence length of the formed DNA/ligand is evaluated. The described structure may have implications in the photophysical damages induced by the complexation of DNA by organometallic molecules.</p>