On the interaction of caffeine with nucleic acids. III. 1H NMR studies of caffeine--5'-adenosine monophosphate and caffeine-poly(riboadenylate) interactions.

1. The self-association of both caffeine (Cf) and 5'-adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in aqueous solution has been reinvestigated by 1H NMR. The self-association process is characterized by an isodesmic model. The apparent self-association constants of the vertical stacking process are KCf = (10.6 +/- 1.0) M-1 and KAMP = (1.67 +/- 0.17) M-1. The arrangement of the monomeric units in the stacked aggregates is discussed in terms of isoshielding curves theoretically calculated by Giessner-Prettre and Pullman. Models are proposed which are consistent with these and further previous NMR data. 2) The interaction of Cf and AMP has been studied by 1H NMR. The apparent association constant of the complex Cf-AMP is KC-A = (7.3 +/- 1.2) M-1. Two models of the mutual arrangement of AMP and Cf in the complex are proposed on the basis of the calculated isoshielding curves considering both ring current and local atomic diamagnetic anisotropy effects. 3) The interaction of Cf and poly(riboadenylate), (rA)n, is indicated by a downfield shift of the H-8 line but an upfield shifts of the H-2 line in the 1H NMR spectra of (rA)n. The concentration dependence of the 1H NMR shifts of both Cf and (rA)n can be explained by the existence of two binding mechanisms. We suggest (i) partial insertion of Cf between adjacent base residues of ordered single-stranded regions of (rA)n and (ii) outside binding of Cf in form of monomeric Cf as well as of self-associated aggregates. The complex geometry of insertion proposed on the basis of the calculated isoshielding curves is characterized by a stronger overlapping of the Cf ring and the H-2 proton of (rA)n as compared to the H-8 proton.