Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) Binding to Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)

Abstract

Summary

Addition of DNA (but not RNA) to solutions of lysergic acid diethylamide resulted in a depression of the absorption and fluorescence spectra of the drug. The K_d for D-LSD: DNA binding, calculated from spectral changes, was 5 × 10^-4 M, and each nucleotide residue was a potential binding site. Binding did not occur at pH 3 (where DNA is nonhelical), and was decreased by prior heating of the DNA or by adding MgCl₂ at a concentration of 3.7 × 10^-3 M.