Observation of the DNA ion-phosphate vibrations

The low-frequency Raman spectra of Na-and Cs-DNA water solutions have been studied to determine the mode of counterion vibrations with respect to phosphate groups of the DNA double helix. The obtained spectra are characterized by the water band near 180 cm −1 and by several DNA bands near 100 cm −1. The main difference between Na-and Cs-DNA spectra is observed in case of the band 100 cm −1. In Cs-DNA spectra this band has about twice higher intensity than in Na-DNA spectra. The comparison of obtained spectra with the calculated frequencies of Na-and Cs-DNA conformational vibrations [Perepelytsya S. show that the band 100 cm −1 in the spectra of Cs-DNA is formed by the modes of both H-bond stretching vibrations and vibrations of caesium counterions, while in Na-DNA spectra the band 100 cm −1 is formed by the mode of H-bond stretching vibrations only. The modes of sodium counterion vibrations have a frequency 180 cm −1 , and they do not rise above the water band. Thus, the increase in intensity of the band 100 cm −1 in the spectra of Cs-DNA as compared with Na-DNA is caused by the mode of ion-phosphate vibrations. Under the natural conditions the structure of DNA macromolecule is stabilized by alkali metal counterions that neutralize the negatively charged phosphate groups of the double helix backbone [1]. The counterions, bonded to the phosphate groups, form a regular structure along the DNA backbone. This structure may be considered as an ion lattice. The formation and existence of such lattice should be characterized by the specific ion-phosphate vibrations. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to make an experimental observation of the DNA ion-phosphate mode, proving the existence of the ion-phosphate lattice. The earlier calculations for DNA with alkali metal counterions [2–4] have been shown that the mode of ion-phosphate vibrations must be in the low-frequency spectra range (<250 cm −1). The calculated frequency of ion-phosphate vibrations in case of Na + , K