Base-specific pre-melting and melting transitions of DNA in ionic liquids

Hydrated ionic liquids (ILs) have been identified as solvent media able to enhance the structural stability of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).


In this work, we investigate the molecular interaction between imidazolium-based ILs and DNA during its thermal unfolding pathway, by exploiting synchrotron-based UV Resonance Raman scattering (UVRR) experiments. This technique gives a selective focus on the thermal responses of specific nucleobases in the structure of DNA, providing the experimental sensitivity to both cooperative and local structural changes occurring along the complex unfolding process of DNA. 
UVRR measurements probe two distinct temperature-dependent phenomena occurring in the DNA double-helix, i.e. a non-cooperative pre-melting mainly involving adenine bases and a cooperative melting transition primarily localized on guanine tracts.

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Journal of Molecular Liquids, Vol. 330, pp. 115433 (2021) 
Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 September 2021 19:32