Amine group of guanine enhances the binding of norfloxacin antibiotics to DNA

The binding mode of norfloxacin, a quinolone antibacterial agent, in the synthetic polynucleotides poly[d(G–C) 2 ], poly[d(I–C) 2 ] and poly[d(A–T) 2 ] was studied using polarized light spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and melting profiles. The absorption, circular and linear dichroism properties of norfloxacin are essentially the same for all the complexes, and the angle of electric transition dipole moment I and II of norfloxacin relative to the DNA helix axis is measured as 68–75° for all complexes. These similarities indicate that the binding mode of norfloxacin is similar for all the polynucleotides. The decrease in the linear dichroism (LD) magnitude at 260 nm upon binding norfloxacin, which is strongest for the norfloxacin‐poly[d(G–C) 2 ] complex, and the identical melting temperature of poly[d(A–T) 2 ] and poly[d(I–C) 2 ] in the presence and absence of norfloxacin rule out the possibility of classic intercalation and minor groove binding. However, the characteristics of the fluorescence emission spectra of norfloxacin bound to poly[d(A–T) 2 ] and to poly[d(I–C) 2 ] are similar but are different to that of norfloxacin bound to poly[d(G–C) 2 ]. As the amine group of the guanine base protrudes to the minor groove, this result strongly suggests that norfloxacin binds in the minor groove of B‐form DNA in a nonclassic manner.