Thermostability of native DNA bound to TiO₂ nanoparticles under physiological-like conditions

The present work is devoted to the study of the thermostability of native DNA during binding to TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) at various concentrations under conditions close to physiological (0.1 M Na+, pH 7) using thermal denaturation method and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The analysis of the DNA melting curves in the presence of TiO2 NPs revealed a temperature range in which the light absorption of DNA decreases. This is explained by the formation of an ordered structure of partially unwound DNA strands on the NP surface. The DNA:TiO2 NP nanoassemblies formed at the initial stages remained stable in the wide temperature range. The performed temperature-dependent DLS measurements of the DNA:TiO2 NP suspension at pH 7 have not revealed the aggregation of the DNA:TiO2 NP nanoassemblies that had been observed at pH 5.