<i>ortho</i>-Fluoroazobenzene derivatives as DNA intercalators for photocontrol of DNA and nucleosome binding by visible light

Abstract

We report a high-affinity photoswitchable DNA binder, which displays different nucleosome-binding capacities upon visible-light irradiation. Both photochemical and DNA-recognition properties were examined by UV-Vis, HPLC, CD spectroscopy, NMR, FID assays, EMSA and DLS. Our probe sets the basis for developing new optoepigenetic tools for conditional modulation of nucleosomal DNA accessibility.