[Study of DNA-dye interaction by spin-labels]

The binding of ethidium bromide and acriflavin dyes with DNA modified with a spin-labelled analogue of ethylene imine has been studied. These spin-labels were shown to bind covalently to DNA, at the same time the number of the dye molecules bound is decreased without any changes in the binding constant. Analysis of ESR spectra of the samples in the frozen 50% water-glycerol solution at 77 degrees K for spin-labelled DNA has shown that addition of the dyes increases distance between the labels. This fact might be explained by an increase in DNA length upon formation of the complex with dye molecules.