Thermodynamic profiles of the DNA binding of benzophenanthridines sanguinarine and ethidium: A comparative study with sequence specific polynucleotides

Energetics of the binding of two known classical DNA intercalating molecules, ethidium and sanguinarine with four sequence specific polynucleotides, poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC), poly(dG).poly(dC), poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT), and poly(dA).poly(dT) have been compared under identical conditions. The binding of both the molecules was characterized by strong stabilization of the polynucleotides against thermal strand separation in optical melting as well as differential scanning calorimetry studies. Isothermal titration calorimetry results revealed that the binding of both sanguinarine and ethidium to poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC), poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT), and poly(dG).poly(dC) was exothermic and favoured by negative enthalpy changes. On the other hand, the binding of both molecules to poly(dA).poly(dT) was endothermic and entropy driven. The binding affinity values obtained from isothermal titration calorimetry data was in close proximity to that derived from thermal melting data. The heat capacity changes obtained from temperature dependence of the enthalpy change gave negative values in the range (?0.4 to 1.25) kJ · mol^?1 · K^?1 for the binding of ethidium and sanguinarine to these polynucleotides. The variations in the values indicate important differences in the formation of the complexes. New insights into the energetics and specificity aspects of interaction of these molecules to DNA have emerged from these studies.     

Calorimetric and thermal analysis studies on the binding of phenothiazinium dye thionine with DNA polynucleotides

Binding of the phenothaizinium dye thionine with four sequence specific deoxyribopolynucleotides, poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC), poly(dG).poly(dC), poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT), and poly(dA).poly(dT) has been investigated by means of thermal helix melting, isothermal titration calorimetry, and differential scanning calorimetry experiments. The binding affinity values evaluated from isothermal titration calorimetry suggests that thionine exhibits the highest binding affinity to poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC). The binding to poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC), poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT), and poly(dG).poly(dC) is exothermic and favoured by negative enthalpy changes while binding to poly(dA).poly(dT) is endothermic and anomalous. The values of heat capacity changes of the interaction are negative and in the range (?0.4 to ?0.5) kJ · K^?1 · mol^?1. The binding is characterized by strong stabilization of the polynucleotides against thermal strand separation. The binding affinity values derived from thermal melting data are in excellent agreement with those obtained from isothermal titration calorimetry data. Insights into the energetic aspects and guanine–cytosine selectivity of the DNA interaction of thionine have been obtained from these studies.     

Thermodynamic characterization of proflavine–DNA binding through microcalorimetric studies

The interaction of an important acridine dye, proflavine hydrochloride, with double stranded DNA was investigated using isothermal titration calorimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. The equilibrium constant for the binding reaction was calculated to be (1.60 ± 0.04) · 10⁵ · M⁻¹ at T = 298.15 K. The binding of proflavine hydrochloride to DNA was favored by both negative enthalpy and positive entropy contributions to the Gibbs energy. The equilibrium constant for the binding reaction decreased with increasing temperature. The standard molar enthalpy change became increasingly negative while the standard molar entropy change became less positive with rise in temperature. However, the standard molar Gibbs free energy change varied marginally suggesting the occurrence of enthalpy–entropy compensation phenomenon. The binding reaction was dominated by non-polyelectrolytic forces which remained virtually unchanged at all the salt concentrations studied. The binding also significantly increased the thermal stability of DNA against thermal denaturation.     

A thermodynamic investigation on the binding of phenothiazinium dyes azure A and azure B to double stranded RNA polynucleotides

The thermodynamics of the reactions of the two phenothiazinium dyes azure A and azure B with the three double stranded ribonucleic acids, poly(A).poly(U), poly(C).poly(G), poly(I).poly(C) were investigated using DSC and ITC. The bound dyes stabilized the RNAs against thermal strand separation. The binding of azure A to the RNAs was predominantly enthalpy dominated while the binding of azure B was favoured by both negative enthalpy and favourable entropy changes. Although electrostatic interaction had a significant role in the binding, non-polyelectrolytic forces dominated the binding process. The negative values of heat capacity changes for the binding suggested a substantial hydrophobic contribution to the binding process. The overall binding affinity of both the dyes to the RNAs varied in the order, poly(A).poly(U) > poly(C).poly(G) > poly(I).poly(C).     

The role of water in the thermodynamics of drug binding to cyclodextrin

The thermodynamic parameters, Δ_BG^∘, Δ_BH^∘, Δ_BS^∘, and Δ_BC_p, of the drugs flurbiprofen (FLP), nabumetone (NAB), and naproxen (NPX) binding to β-cyclodextrin (βCD) and to γ-cyclodextrin (γCD) in 0.10 M sodium phosphate buffer were determined from isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements over the temperature range from 293.15 K to 313.15 K. The heat capacity changes for the binding reactions ranged from −(362 ± 48) J · mol⁻¹ · K⁻¹ for FLP and −(238 ± 90) J · mol⁻¹ · K⁻¹ for NAB binding in the βCD cavity to 0 for FLP and −(25.1 ± 9.2) J · mol⁻¹ · K⁻¹ for NPX binding in the larger γCD cavity, implying that the structure of water is reorganized in the βCD binding reactions but not reorganized in the γCD binding reactions. Comparison of the fluorescence enhancements of FLP and NAB upon transferring from the aqueous buffer to isopropanol with the maximum fluorescence enhancements observed for their βCD binding reactions indicated that some localized water was retained in the FLP–βCD complex and almost none in the NAB–βCD complex. No fluorescence change occurs with drug binding in the larger γCD cavity, indicating the retention of the bulk water environment in the drug–γCD complex. Since the specific drug binding interactions are essentially the same for βCD and γCD, these differences in the retention of bulk water may account for the enthalpically driven nature of the βCD binding reactions and the entropically driven nature of the γCD binding reactions.     

High-temperature calorimetry of (La1−xLnx)PO4 solid solutions

The enthalpy increment of the monazite-type solid solutions of LaPO₄ with NdPO₄, EuPO₄ and GdPO₄ has been measured by drop calorimetry at T = 1000 K. The results show deviations (excess enthalpy) from ideal behaviour that have been interpreted in terms of lattice strains resulting from the ion size effects of substitution of La³⁺ by Ln³⁺. For (La_0.5Gd)_0.5PO₄ also the temperature dependence has been determined for T = (515 to 1565) K, indicating that the excess enthalpy decreases with increasing temperature.     

Experimental and computational thermodynamic study of ortho-, meta-, and para-methylbenzamide

The Knudsen mass-loss effusion technique was used to measure the vapour pressures of the three crystalline isomers of methylbenzamide. From the temperature dependence of the vapour pressures, the standard molar enthalpies of sublimation and the enthalpies of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds N−H⋯O were calculated. The temperature and molar enthalpy of fusion of the studied isomers were measured using differential scanning calorimetry. The values of the standard (p^° = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpy of formation in the crystalline phase, at T = 298.15 K, of the compounds studied were derived from their standard massic energies of combustion measured by static-bomb combustion calorimetry. From the experimental values, the standard molar enthalpies of formation in the gaseous phase, at T = 298.15 K, were calculated and compared with the values estimated by employing computational calculations that were conducted using different quantum chemical methods: G3(MP2), G3, and CBS-QB3. Good agreement between experimental and theoretical results is verified. The aromaticity of the compounds has been evaluated through nucleus independent chemical shifts (NICS) calculations.     

Tuning the DNA binding modes of an anthracene derivative with salt

The DNA binding properties of an anthracene derivative with substituents at the 9 and 10 positions, carrying four positive charges, are examined in calorimetric, spectroscopic and photocleavage studies. Isothermal titration calorimetric data indicated exothermic binding of the ligand to calf thymus DNA with a binding constant of (1.4 ± 0.5) × 10⁵ M⁻¹ and this value is much greater than binding of similar monocationic derivatives. The values for the other binding parameters were, ΔH = −3.5 ± 0.4 kcal/mol; ΔS = 11.6 ± 1.6 cal/mol K, and a binding site size of ∼4 base pairs. Absorption spectral studies indicated small, but significant red shifts in the vibronic bands, and ∼70% of hypochromism. The binding plots indicated bi-phasic binding of the ligand. At higher ionic strengths, the red shifts in the absorption spectra were abolished but significant hypochromism persisted.Excitation and sensitized fluorescence spectral studies indicated weak energy transfer from the DNA bases to the ligand. Further more, energy transfer was reduced substantially at higher ionic strengths. Strong induced circular dichroism bands are noted, in the 300–400 nm region, and these are most likely dominated by the contributions from the groove bound form as well as the intercalated chromophore. Helix melting studies indicated improvement in the helix stability, and substantial increase in the melting temperature (ΔT_m > 17 °C). Differential scanning calorimetric data, on the other hand, indicated only minor improvements in the thermodynamic parameters. Irradiation of a mixture of the ligand (2 μM) and supercoiled pUC18 DNA (20 μM, @374 nm) resulted in the efficient formation of nicked circular DNA (>90%) in an hour. The data indicated at least two distinct binding modes, and one of these persisted at high ionic strengths (375 mM NaCl). Substitution at 9 and 10 positions of the anthracene ring system with positively charged residues resulted in multiple binding modes, and these are resolvable in ionic strength studies.     

Quantitative aspects of recognition of the antibiotic drug oxytetracycline by bovine serum albumin: Calorimetric and spectroscopic studies

A quantitative understanding of the mode of interaction of drugs with target proteins provides a guide for the synthesis of new drug molecules. The binding of the antibiotic drug oxytetracycline with serum albumin has been studied by a combination of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The values of the binding constant (K), enthalpy change (ΔH), entropy (ΔS), and stoichiometry of binding have been determined along with the associated conformational changes in the protein. Oxytetracycline binds to bovine serum albumin with a 1:1 stoichiometry and with a weakly temperature dependent association constant of 1.8 · 10⁴ at T = 298.15 K. The effect of ionic strength, tetrabutylammonium bromide, and sucrose on the thermodynamic parameters obtained from ITC and DSC measurements indicate involvement of predominantly ionic and hydrophobic interactions with a minor hydrogen bonding contribution in the drug-protein complexation. The DSC results on the binding of oxytetracycline with bovine serum albumin in the absence and presence of these additives provide quantitative information on the effect of drugs on the stability of bovine serum albumin, and suggest preferential complexation of one of the domains of the protein. The results further indicate that the drug occupies binding site II on bovine serum albumin.     

Heat capacity and thermodynamic properties of germanium disulfide at temperatures from T = (2 to 1240) K

The heat capacity of polycrystalline germanium disulfide α-GeS₂ has been measured by relaxation calorimetry, adiabatic calorimetry, DSC and heat flux calorimetry from T = (2 to 1240) K. Values of the molar heat capacity, standard molar entropy and standard molar enthalpy are 66.191 J · K^?1 · mol^?1, 87.935 J · K^?1 · mol^?1 and 12.642 kJ · mol^?1. The temperature of fusion and its enthalpy change are 1116 K and 23 kJ · mol^?1, respectively. The thermodynamic functions of α-GeS₂ were calculated over the range (0 ? T/K ? 1250).     

Renewable platform-chemicals and materials: Thermochemical study of levulinic acid

The standard molar enthalpy of formation in the gaseous state (?613.5 ± 2.2) kJ · mol^?1 of levulinic acid has been obtained from combustion calorimetry and results from the temperature dependence of the vapour pressure measured by the transpiration method. In order to verify the experimental data, first-principles calculations have been performed. Enthalpies of formation derived from G4 and G3MP2 methods are in an excellent agreement with the experimental results. Thermodynamic analysis of the hydrolysis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to the levulinic and formic acids has revealed very high feasibility of these reactions with equilibrium constants completely shifted to the desired reaction products even at T = 298.15 K.     

Identification of pyrazosulfuron-ethyl binding affinity and binding site subdomain IIA in human serum albumin by spectroscopic methods

Pyrazosulfuron-ethyl (PY) is a sulfonylurea herbicide developed by DuPont which has been widely used for weed control in cereals. The determination of PY binding affinity and binding site in human serum albumin (HSA) by spectroscopic methods is the subject of this work. From the fluorescence emission, circular dichroism and three-dimensional fluorescence results, the interaction of PY with HSA caused secondary structure changes in the protein. Fluorescence data demonstrated that the quenching of HSA fluorescence by PY was the result of the formation of HSA–PY complex at 1:1 molar ratio, a static mechanism was confirmed to lead to the fluorescence quenching. Hydrophobic probe 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANS) displacement results show that hydrophobic patches are the major sites for PY binding on HSA. The thermodynamic parameters ΔH° and ΔS° were calculated to be ?36.32 kJ mol^?1 and ?35.91 J mol^?1 K^?1, which illustrated van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds interactions were the dominant intermolecular force in stabilizing the complex. Also, site marker competitive experiments showed that the binding of PY to HSA took place primarily in subdomain IIA (Sudlow's site I). What presented in this paper binding research enriches our knowledge of the interaction between sulfonylurea herbicides and the physiologically important protein HSA.     

High-temperature calorimetry of zirconia: Heat capacity and thermodynamics of the monoclinic–tetragonal phase transition

The high-temperature heat capacity of zirconia was directly measured by differential scanning calorimetry between T = (1050 and 1700) K and derived from the heat content measured by transposed temperature drop calorimetry between T = (970 and 1770) K, including the monoclinic–tetragonal (m–t) phase transition region. The enthalpy and entropy of the m–t phase transition are (5.43 ± 0.31) kJ · mol⁻¹ and (3.69 ± 0.21) J · K⁻¹ · mol⁻¹, respectively. Values of thermodynamic functions are provided from room temperature to 2000 K.     

Contribution enthalpic in the interaction of activated carbon with polar and apolar solvents

A method is presented for calculating the contribution that enthalpies make for every component of mixtures of activated carbon–water and activated carbon–hexane to the immersion enthalpy using the concepts that are used in the solution enthalpies. The immersion enthalpies of microporous activated carbon in water and in hexane have values from ?18.97 to ?27.21 and ?25.23 to ?47.89 J g^?1, respectively. From the immersion enthalpies and mass relation of the activated carbon in each of the solvents, the differential enthalpies are calculated for the activated carbon in water, Hw_DIFac, with values between ?15.95 and ?26.81 J g^?1, as are the differential enthalpies for the activated carbon in hexane, ΔHh_DIFac, with values between ?6.86 and ?46.97 J g^?1. For a low mass relation of the mixture components the contributions to the immersion enthalpy of the activated carbon and water differ by 3.20 J g^?1, while the difference between the contributions of the activated carbon and hexane is 19.41 J g^?1.     

Thermodynamic characterization of NiAl

Thermodynamic properties of the high-stability intermetallic compound nickel aluminide, NiAl, have been determined from mass-spectrometric, weight-loss effusion, and calorimetric measurements, using samples from a single preparation with a composition determined to be Ni_0.986Al_1.014. Per mole of NiAl molecules, the specific heat capacity at room temperature of 298 K is 48.54 J · K^?1 · mol^?1, with a linear temperature dependence of +0.0104 J · K^?2 · mol^?1. At the same temperature, the enthalpy of formation is ?133.7 kJ · mol^?1, the entropy is about 53.8 J · K^?1 · mol^?1 and the enthalpy difference between room temperature and absolute zero is 7.97 kJ · mol^?1. The Gibbs free-energy is ?130.2 kJ · mol^?1 at T = 298 K, with a linear temperature dependence of +5.04 J · K^?1 · mol^?1. The Debye temperature is 452 K, while the electronic density-of-states at the Fermi-level is about 0.29 states per eV-atom. The NiAl⁺ ions were observed in the high-temperature mass spectra. Pressures for the gas at these temperatures were estimated and used with the results of quantum-mechanical calculations of total energy, specific heat, and entropy to calculate free-energy functions for the gas. These and additional results are compared with other measurements and discussed in terms of current theories of the electronic and structural properties of the compound.     

New experimental heat capacity and enthalpy of formation of lithium cobalt oxide

The heat capacity of LiCoO₂ (O3-phase), constituent material in cathodes for lithium-ion batteries, was measured using two differential scanning calorimeters over the temperature range from (160 to 953) K (continuous method). As an alternative, the discontinuous method was employed over the temperature range from (493 to 693) K using a third calorimeter. Based on the results obtained, the enthalpy increment of LiCoO₂ was derived from T = 298.15 K up to 974.15 K. Very good agreement was obtained between the derived enthalpy increment and our independent measurements of enthalpy increment using transposed temperature drop calorimetry at 974.15 K. In addition, values of the enthalpy of formation of LiCoO₂ from the constituent oxides and elements were assessed based on measurements of enthalpy of dissolution using high temperature oxide melt drop solution calorimetry. The high temperature values obtained by these measurements are key input data in safety analysis and optimisation of the battery management systems which accounts for possible thermal runaway events.     

Novel metal-based pharmacologically dynamic agents of transition metal(II) complexes: Designing,synthesis, structural elucidation,DNA binding and photo-induced DNA cleavage activity

Novel Schiff base Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Zn(II) complexes have been designed and synthesized using the macrocyclic ligand derived from the condensation of diethylphthalate with Schiff base, obtained from benzene-1,2-diamine and 3-benzylidene-pentane-2,4-dione. The ligand and its complexes have been characterized by analytical and spectral techniques. DNA binding properties of these complexes have been investigated by UV–vis, viscosity measurements, cyclic voltammetric and differential pulse voltammogram studies. The intrinsic binding constants for Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes are 1.6 × 10⁶, 1.8 × 10⁶, 2.0 × 10⁶ and 1.5 × 10⁶ M^?1 respectively which are obtained from electronic absorption experiment. Control DNA cleavage experiments using pUC19 supercoiled (SC) DNA and minor groove binder (distamycin) suggest the major groove binding tendency for the synthesized complexes. In the presence of a reducing agent like 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), the synthesized complexes show chemical nuclease activity under dark reaction condition. The complexes also show efficient photo-induced DNA cleavage activity on irradiation with a monochromatic UV light of 360 nm in the presence of inhibitors. Control experiments show inhibition of cleavage in the presence of singlet oxygen quencher like sodium azide and enhancement of cleavage in D₂O, suggesting the formation of singlet oxygen as a reactive species in a type-II process.     

Thermodynamic study of solvent-free reaction between 17-methyltestosterone and o-aminophenol

In this work we investigated the possibilities of the solvent free synthesis of Schiff base (azomethyne) from 17-methyltestosterone and o-aminophenol. The study of the binary mixtures of 17-methyltestosterone and o-aminophenol was achieved by DSC, TG–DSC, and FTIR. The isolated compounds and reaction product were studied by adiabatic bomb calorimetry in order to determine the heat of reaction. The DSC data reveal a simple eutectic followed by a chemical reaction in liquid phases. From the DSC data we calculated the enthalpy of decomposition of reaction product as (44.65 ± 0.83) kJ · mol^?1. Schiff base formation by condensation reaction was highlighted by TG–DSC method and the structure of the solid product was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The standard enthalpy of reaction was calculated from the standard molar enthalpy of formation of reactants and products.     

3,4,5-Trimethoxyphenol: A combined experimental and theoretical thermochemical investigation of its antioxidant capacity

The standard (p^° = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of combustion and sublimation of 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenol were measured, respectively, by static bomb combustion calorimetry in oxygen atmosphere and by Calvet microcalorimetry. From these measurements, the standard molar enthalpy of formation in both the crystalline and gaseous phase, at T = 298.15 K, were derived: ?(643.4 ± 1.9) kJ · mol^?1 and ?(518.1 ± 3.6) kJ · mol^?1, respectively. Density functional theory calculations for this compound and respective phenoxyl radical and phenoxide anion were also performed using the B3LYP functional and extended basis sets, which allowed the theoretical estimation of the gaseous phase standard molar enthalpy of formation through the use of isodesmic reactions and the calculation of the homolytic and heterolytic O–H bond dissociation energies. There is good agreement between the calculated and experimental enthalpy of formation. Substituent effects on the homolytic and heterolytic O–H bond dissociation energies have been analysed.     

Molecular energetics of 4-methyldibenzothiophene: An experimental study

The standard ($p^{°}=0.1\text{MPa}$) molar enthalpy of formation of 4-methyldibenzothiophene, in the gaseous phase, at T = 298.15 K, was derived from the combination of the values of the standard molar enthalpy of formation, in the crystalline phase, at T = 298.15 K, and the standard molar enthalpy of sublimation, at the same temperature. The standard molar enthalpy of formation in the crystalline phase, determined from the standard massic energy of combustion, in oxygen, is (70.9 ± 4.8) kJ · mol^?1 and was measured by rotating-bomb combustion calorimetry. From Calvet microcalorimetry measurements, the standard molar enthalpy of sublimation obtained is (90.3 ± 0.7) kJ · mol^?1.