Abstract

In order to estimate the biological potential of a synthesized complex Yb(bpy)2Cl3.OH2 where bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, its binding behavior with fish salmon-DNA (FS-DNA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were studied by different kinds of spectroscopy and molecular modeling methods. This complex was selected for its antibacterial and antifungal activities as well as the DNA cleavage activities were examined by agarose gel electrophoresis. The analyses of fluorescence data at four temperatures were done in order to evaluate the binding and thermodynamic parameters of the interaction of Yb(III) complex with DNA and BSA. The experimental results indicated that the major binding modes were based on groove binding with DNA and BSA. In addition, iodide quenching studies, ethidium bromide (EtBr) exclusion assay, ionic strength effect, circular dichroism, and viscosity studies reflected the binding of Yb(III) complex explicitly with the FS-DNA mainly in a groove binding mode. Moreover, molecular docking studies indicated that this complex was bound to the minor groove of DNA and to polar and apolar residues located in the subdomain IB of BSA (site 3). Also, the results of competitive experiments assessed site 3 of BSA as the most probable binding site for this complex. The molecular docking results were in good agreement with our experimental results. From both experimental and docking results, the binding constant values displayed the remarkably high affinity of Yb(III) complex to DNA as well as BSA. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.