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Effect of UVC‐Induced Damage to DNA on the Intercalation of Thiazole Orange: A Convenient Reporter for DNA Damage †
Author(s) -
TrevithickSutton Colleen C.,
Mikelsons Larisa,
Filippenko Vasilisa,
Scaiano J. C.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1562/2006-07-21-ra-976
Subject(s) - intercalation (chemistry) , cyanine , dna damage , absorbance , dna , chemistry , agarose gel electrophoresis , fluorescence , ethidium bromide , agarose , acridine orange , circular dichroism , biophysics , photochemistry , gel electrophoresis , biochemistry , chromatography , organic chemistry , biology , optics , apoptosis , physics
We report a novel method of identifying damage to DNA leading to the loss of intercalation sites. Thiazole orange (TO), an intercalating cyanine dye, fluoresces strongly when intercalated in DNA, but not free in solution. Upon UVC‐induced damage to DNA, the change in TO fluorescence is greater than the change in any of the other spectral or biochemical indicators (absorbance, circular dichroism and agarose gel electrophoresis), thus providing a fast screening method to identify damage to DNA. The method is geared toward high levels of damage, such as those that may result during radiation treatment of food products.