Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Chemistry Dissertations Department of Chemistry Fall 9-23-2013 DNA Interactions and Photocleavage by Anthracene, Acridine, and Carbocyanine-Based Chromophores Carla Mapp Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/chemistry_diss Recommended Citation Mapp, Carla, "DNA Interactions and Photocleavage by Anthracene, Acridine, and Carbocyanine-Based Chromophores." Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2013. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/chemistry_diss/82 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Chemistry at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Chemistry Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. DNA INTERACTIONS AND PHOTOCLEAVAGE BY ANTHRACENE, ACRIDINE, AND CARBOCYANINE-BASED CHROMOPHORES by CARLA TERRY MAPP Under the Direction of Dr. Kathryn B. Grant ABSTRACT The interaction of small molecules with DNA has been extensively studied and has produced a large catalogue of molecules that non-covalently bind to DNA though groove binding, intercalation, electrostatics, or a combination of these binding modes. Anthracene, acridine, and carbocyanine-based chromophores have been examined for their DNA binding properties and photo-reactivities. Their planar aromatic structures make them ideal chromophores that can be used to probe DNA structural interactions and binding patterns. We have studied DNA binding and photocleavgage properties of a bisacridine chromophore joined by a 2,6-bis(aminomethyl)pyridine copper-binding linker (Chapter II), a series of 9-aminomethyl anthracene chromophores (Chapters III and IV), both under conditions of high and low ionic strength, as well as a series of pentamethine linked symmetrical carbocyanine dyes (Chapter V).