Fluorescence Enhancement of Ethidium Bromide by DNA Bases and Nucleosides

Fluorescence enhancements of ethidium bromide (EB) by solution species of low molecular weights such as DNA base molecules and nucleosides in water are reported. The degree of enhancements was determined by intensity as well as lifetime measurements for EB fluorescence. Experiments including solvent effects on absorbance and fluorescence spectra of EB, effects of protonation on the EB absorbance spectrum, and determination of equilibrium constants for EB-DNA bases have been performed to help explain the fluorescence enhancement. The results suggest that the excited state stabilization in the hydrophobic environment, the loss of torsional/vibrational energy of amino groups, and the change in the electronic transition characteristics are all responsible for the fluorescence enhancement.