Effects of caffeine on the structure and conformation of DNA: A force spectroscopy study

Here, we use single molecule force spectroscopy performed with optical tweezers in order to investigate the interaction between Caffeine and the DNA molecule for various different concentrations of the alkaloid and under two distinct ionic strengths of the surrounding buffer. We were able to determine the mechanical changes induced on the double-helix structure due to Caffeine binding, the binding mode and the binding parameters of the...