Crystals (Sep 2021)

Effect of Hydrated Deep Eutectic Solvents on the Thermal Stability of DNA

  • Mariagrazia Tortora,
  • Jacopo Vigna,
  • Ines Mancini,
  • Andrea Mele,
  • Alessandro Gessini,
  • Claudio Masciovecchio,
  • Barbara Rossi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst11091057
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 9
p. 1057

Abstract

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DNA’s structure stability in hydrated deep eutectic solvents (DESs) is getting growing attention for emerging bio-applications. The employment of DESs as novel co-solvents in water media could favor eco-friendly and biodegradable materials for DNA storage and handling. Understanding the molecular interactions between nucleic acids and aqueous DES is crucial for developing new-generation solvents for biomolecules. In this work, we exploit the molecular sensitivity and selectivity of synchrotron radiation UV resonance raman (SR-UVRR) spectroscopy to explore the interplay between a choline chloride:urea (ChCl:U) DES and double-stranded DNA. Our study analyzes the impact of ChCl:U on the DNA’s thermal unfolding pathway by focusing on the guanine nucleobases whose Raman signal could be strongly enhanced through careful tuning of the excitation wavelength.

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