Binding Interactions of TMAP to Triple- and Double Helical DNA

Binding interactions between a positively charged porphyrin derivative TMAP(meso-tetra(p-trimethylanilinium-4-yl)porphyrin) and triple helical $(dT)_{12}{\cdot}(dA)_{12}{\cdot}(dT)_{12}$, as well as double helical $(dA)_{12}{\cdot}(dT)_{12}$ have been studied with NMR, UV and CD spectroscopy to obtain the detailed information about the binding mode and binding site. UV melting studies showed both DNA duplex and triple helix represented very similar UV absorption patterns upon binding TMAP, but the presence of third strand of triple helical $(dT)_{12}{\cdot}(dA)_{12}{\cdot}(dT)_{12}$, inhibited improvement in thermal stability in terms of melting temperature, $T_m$. In addition, the TMAP molecule is thought to bind to the major groove, according to CD and NMR data. But absence of the clear isosbestic point in UV absorption spectra represented that binding of TMAP to DNA duplex as well as DNA triplex did not show a single binding mode, rather complex binding modes.