What Can Electrochemical Methods Offer in Determining DNA–Drug Interactions?

Abstract

The interactions of compounds with DNA have been studied since the recognition of the role of nucleic acid in organisms. The design of molecules which specifically interact with DNA sequences allows for the control of the gene expression. Determining the type and strength of such interaction is an indispensable element of pharmaceutical studies. Cognition of the therapeutic action mechanisms is particularly important for designing new drugs. Owing to their sensitivity, simplicity, and low costs, electrochemical methods are increasingly used for this type of research. Compared to other techniques, they require a small number of samples and are characterized by a high reliability. These methods can provide information about the type of interaction and the binding strength, as well as the damage caused by biologically active molecules targeting the cellular DNA. This review paper summarizes the various electrochemical approaches used for the study of the interactions between pharmaceuticals and DNA. The main focus is on the papers from the last decade, with particular attention on the voltammetric techniques. The most preferred experimental approaches, the electrode materials and the new methods of modification are presented. The data on the detection ranges, the binding modes and the binding constant values of pharmaceuticals are summarized. Both the importance of the presented research and the importance of future prospects are discussed.

Electrochemical Investigations and Molecular Docking Analysis to Evaluate the Molnupiravir-Calf Thymus dsDNA Interaction

“…27,45 Electrochemical investigations have shown that the signal of electrochemical oxidation varies based on the presence of guanosine (dGuo) or adenosine (dAdo) in ct-dsDNA, both before and after contact with the drug-DNA. 46,47 These signal changes are used to predict the modes of interaction that occur in DNA-drug interactions, such as intercalation, 20,21,48 electrostatic interaction, 23,49,50 groove binding, [51][52][53] etc. 54 Compared to CV, the DPV technique offers greater sensitivity and better peak resolution in examining small molecule-DNA interaction.…”

Electrochemical Detection of Drugs via a Supramolecular Cucurbit[7]uril-Based Indicator Displacement Assay

“…Besides chronoamperometry, staircase voltammetry (SCV) or differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) is used in electrochemical biosensors, which offer higher sensitivity, as the occurrence of capacitive charges is diminished through applying a series of regular potential pulse superimposed on the potential stair steps. , Therefore, SCV measurements were used to detect PB (0–200 μM) in human urine samples (diluted 1:3 with 5 mM PBS, pH 7.0). As shown in Figure b, a PB-dependent increase in j ox (at 0.9 V) was observed (Figure S8a), which allowed its detection in PB-spiked human urine.…”

A Low-Cost, 3D-Printed Biosensor for Rapid Detection of Escherichia coli

“…SWV is commonly used for assays that determine biological binding interactions and reflect the underlying binding kinetics even with small molecules [11,12]. The sensor enabled the rapid detection of E. coli cells (less than 100 cfu) providing high sensitivity, a low LOD in a complete 3D printing device with pencil graphite used as a WE.…”