The unusual fluorescence quenching of coumarin 314 by β-cyclodextrin and the effect of β-cyclodextrin on its binding with calf thymus DNA

Abstract

This paper discusses the binding of a laser dye, Coumarin 314 with β-cyclodextrin, studied mainly by UV-visible spectroscopy, 2D rotating-frame nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (ROESY), steady-state spectroscopy and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The role of β-cyclodextrin on the binding of Coumarin 314 with calf thymus DNA was investigated. Coumarin 314 shows a hyperchromic shift of absorption and a quenching of fluorescence due to binding with β-cyclodextrin. The fluorescence quenching is non-linear and the reason for the non-linearity is discussed. The unusual fluorescence quenching on Coumarin 314-β- cyclodextrin binding is rationalised from the effect of acidity on absorption, fluorescence, and molecular modelling studies. Additional proof for the mode of binding is given by 2D ROESY. The capped and exposed portions of the Coumarin 314 molecule in the Coumarin 314-β-cyclodextrin complex when binding with calf thymus DNA were visualised based on spectral and molecular modelling studies. © 2014 CSIRO.