Phenazinium dyes safranine O and phenosafranine induce self-structure in single stranded polyadenylic acid: Structural and thermodynamic studies

•Safranine O and phenosafranine have high binding affinity (105 M−1) to poly(A).•The binding was entropy driven with a small enthalpy contribution.•The conformational change induced by safranine O was much higher than phenosafranine.•Both dyes induced self-structure in poly(A) by intercalation to the self structure.

The interaction of phenazinium dyes, safranine O and phenosafranine with single stranded polyadenylic acid was studied using spectroscopic viscometric and calorimetric techniques. Both dyes bind to polyadenylic acid strongly with association constant of the order of 105 M−1. Safranine O showed higher affinity over phenosafranine. The binding induced conformational changes in polyadenylic acid, but the extent of change was much higher with safranine O. The bound safranine O molecules acquired strong induced circular dichroism spectra compared to the weak induced circular dichroism of phenosafranine. Fluorescence polarization, iodide quenching, viscosity results and energy transfer from bases to bound dyes suggested intercalation of the dye molecules to polyadenylic acid structure. The binding was entropy driven in both the cases. Circular dichroism and optical melting studies revealed cooperative melting profiles for dye–polyadenylic acid complexes that provided evidence for the formation of self-structured polyadenylic acid on dye binding. This structural reorganization was further confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry results.

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