A study of caffeine effects on the complexation of the DNA molecule with Cu2+ and Mg2+ ions in solution is presented. DNA binding with cations and caffeine is traced from changes in DNA circular dichroism and UV absorption spectra. The complexation of caffeine with M2+ ions is studied by IR spectroscopy. Caffeine is found to form complexes of different structure with Mg2+ and Cu2+ ions in solution. In the presence of caffeine, DNA solutions with MCl2 show signs of formation of intricate complexes involving nitrogenous bases. In DNA solutions with CuCl2, the presence of caffeine causes additional destabilization of the secondary DNA structure. In DNA solutions with MgCl2, the presence of caffeine leads to the formation of new complexes with the participation of Mg2+, caffeine, and bases without disrupting the secondary DNA structure.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)399-405
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Structural Chemistry
Volume58
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Mar 2017

    Scopus subject areas

  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Materials Chemistry

    Research areas

  • caffeine, circular dichroism, DNA, DNA secondary structure, IR spectroscopy, metal ions, UV absorption

ID: 9218752