Local conformation transitions of linear DNA induced by cisplatin

Cisplatin is the most successful anti-tumor drug, and its pharmacological property is generally considered to derive from the modification of DNA molecules. Structural modifications of short DNA induced by cisplatin have already been investigated. However, the conformation transitions induced by cisplatin are not clear. In the present letter, we have studied the effect of low-concentration cisplatin on DNA conformation by using AFM imaging. We observed formations of micro-rod structures of linear DNA induced by cisplatin. A method is presented to quantitatively analyze the occurrence of micro-rod structures. We found that the formation of micro-rod structures depends on the DNA sequence. Based on the results, we proposed a physical mechanism to explain the local conformation transitions of DNA molecules under the influence of cisplatin.