The features of the three-dimensional (3-D) emission spectrum of the long range assembly of Nile Blue sulfate (NBS) on the molecular surfaces of DNAs were discussed. It was found that the emission signals involve resonance light-scattering (RLS, lambda(RLS) = lambda(ex)), second order light-scattering (SLS, lambda(SLS) = 2 lambda(ex)), anti-second order light-scattering (ASLS, lambda(ASLS) = 0.5 lambda(ex)), Raman light-scattering (Raman, lambda(RLS)(R) = -49.0 + 1.28 lambda(ex), lambda(SLS)(R) = -52.0 + 0.64 lambda(ex), and lambda(ASLS)(R) = -171.7 + 2.86 lambda(ex)) and fluorescence (lambda(ex) = 545.0 nm, lambda(em) = 610.0 nm). The wavelengths of all light-scattering signals keep linear relationships with at of the incident light beam (lambda(ex)), and the intensities of the Light-scattering signals in the 3-D spectrum are in the order: I-RLS > I-SLS > I-ASLS > I-RLS(R) > I-SLS(R) > I-ASLS(R). At PH 7.20-7.80 and ionic strength 0.012, these signals, including RLS, SLS, and ASLA, were found to be strongly enhanced because of the long range assembly of NBS on the molecular surface of both calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) and fish sperm DNA (fsDNA). Fluorescence quenching of NBS by DNAs occurs, but no significantly enhanced Raman light-scattering signals of NBS can be detected in the long range assembly. By independently using the enhanced intensity of RLS at 293.8 nm (lambda(ex) = 293.8 nm), ASLS intensity at 293.8 MI (lambda(ex) = 587.6 nm), or SLS intensity at 587.6 nm (lambda(ex) = 293.8 nm), ctDNA and fsDNA at nanogram levels can be determined with identical results. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
