Spectrometry: Spectrofluorimetric Study of Benzo[a]Quinolizidines as Potential Fluorescent Probes for DNA

Abstract

The interaction between DNA and several benzo[a]quinolizidines, including emetine and four synthetic benzo[a]quinolizidine derivatives, has been studied using spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric techniques. An appreciable decrease in molar absorptivity at the maxima at λ = 230 nm and λ = 280 nm is observed when increasing DNA concentrations (10 mg/ml-100 mg/ml) are added to aqueous buffered solutions (pH = 7) of the benzo[a]quinolizidine derivatives. These compounds exhibit native fluorescence at 315 nm (λex = 285 nm), which is quenched by increasing amounts of DNA. The interaction between DNA and benzo[a]quinolizidines was confirmed by viscosimetry. Increases between 1.9% and 10.8% in the reduced specific viscosity (n/no) of DNA solutions were observed due to the presence of the benzo[a]quinolizidines studied.