Genomic DNA binding to ZnO microrods.

In this work, ZnO microrods were produced by hydrothermal synthesis. DNA was extracted from pork spleen cells by cellular lysis, deproteinization and precipitation. The analysis of the DNA binding to the ZnO was performed using Raman spectroscopy a technique that allowed for the evaluation of the effect that the presence of the ZnO in the complex has on the DNA structure. Vibrational spectral bands from the DNA molecule and hexagonal wurtzite ZnO were observed and classified as E 2 (M), A 1 (TO), E 2 (High), E 1 (LO) and 2LO. The Raman signals from the vibrational bands corresponding to the phosphodiester bond 5′-C-O-P-O-C-3′ and bond stretching of the PO 2 − group, as well as ring vibrations of the nitrogenous bases of the DNA, were enhanced by the presence of the ZnO microrods. The bands from the modes corresponding to the C-O and O P O − molecules of the DNA backbone were observed to exhibit larger spectral shifts due to the compression and tensile stresses generated at the ZnO/DNA interface, respectively. In addition, the relative vibrational mode intensities of the nitrogenous bases increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]