DNA binding studies of 2-tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) food additive

The interaction of native calf thymus DNA with 2-tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) in 10 mM Tris–HCl aqueous solutions at neutral pH 7.4, has been investigated by spectrophotometric, spectrofluorometric, voltammetric and viscosimetric techniques. It is found that TBHQ molecules could intercalate between base pairs of DNA as are evidenced by: hyperchromism in UV absorption band of DNA, sharp increase in specific viscosity of DNA and decrease in the fluorescence of TBHQ solutions in the presence of increasing amounts of DNA. Also peak current decrease, positive shift in the cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) are other evidences to indicate that, TBHQ is able to be intercalated in the DNA base pairs.