Kinetic studies of the interaction of synthetic RNAs with quinacrine and its analogs.

Temperature-jump relaxation method has been used to study the interaction of synthetic RNAs with quinacrine (QAC) and its analog. Two relaxation times were observed. The dependence of relaxation times on the RNA concentration and optical properties of the RNA-dye complexes suggests that (1) QAC binds to poly-(rA).poly(rU) through two bimolecular reactions including isomerization from one complex form to another and (2) the 2-methoxy group of the acridine ring plays a significant role in the isomerization.