Electrochemical Study on the Interaction Betwwen Neutral Red and DNA

A voltammetric study of the interaction of neutral Red(NR) with DNA at a gold electrode in a phosphate buffer solution is described. After adding DNA in an NR solution, the reduction peak current of NR decreases. The binding mechahisms of NR to DNA in different pH ranges are different. The reduction peak potential of NR in a pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution in the presence of DNA shifts positively, indicating that the binding of NR to DNA is intercalation action, but at pH=6.0 the reduction peak potential of NR shifts negatively, indicating that the binding of NR to DNA is electrostatic action. The formed complexes are DNA-NR when NR]/DNA]<0.18 and DNA-3NR when NR]/DNA]>0.35, respectively.