From single DNA molecule to nanoparticle formation: mechanistic basis for monocationic aromatic drug-induced DNA frameworks
María Gabriela Villamizar-Sarmiento·Felipe Oyarzun-Ampuero·Rodrigo Rivera·Francisco Melo·Juan M. Ruso·Ignacio Moreno‐Villoslada·Mauricio Baez·Romina Muñoz Buzeta
We investigated the interaction between the monocationic aromatic drug propranolol (PPL) and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) to elucidate how small molecules can drive higher-order DNA frameworks and nanoparticles (NPs) formation. Single-molecule force spectroscopy with optical tweezers revealed that, at concentrations below 4 mM, PPL interacts with dsDNA through an intercalation-like mode, altering contour length, persistence length, and stretch modulus. At higher concentrations, PPL induced dsDNA