Resonance Rayleigh scattering method for the recognition and determination of double-stranded DNA using amikacin

In weakly acidic buffer medium, the interaction of amikacin with calf thymus DNA, yeast RNA and denatured DNA has been investigated by using resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) technique. The result shows that calf thymus DNA is capable of enhancing the RRS intensity of the amikacin, while yeast RNA and denatured DNA have very little enhancement effect. Based on the characteristics, a sensitive assay for detecting double-stranded DNA in the presence of denatured DNA and yeast RNA has been developed. The enhancement of the RRS signal is directly proportional to the concentration of double-stranded DNA in the range 0.02–12.0 μg ml−1 for calf thymus DNA and its detection limit (3σ) is 2.5 ng ml−1. The method shows a wide linear range and high sensitivity, and almost no interference can be observed from RNA, denatured DNA, amino acid and most of the metal ions. The trace amounts of nucleic acid in synthetic samples and practical samples are determined with satisfactory results. Therefore, the proposed method is promising for as an effect means for recognition in vivo and determination in situ of double-stranded DNA.