Preliminary investigations in the potential use of dye-ligands to bind biological macromolecules

The uses in vastly diverse fields of dyes and pigments and the myths created around them throughout history have helped to shape the evolution of humanity. So called “Procion” dyes constitute an important class of reactive dyes, which are being used in many industries today, including textile, printing, cosmetics, and science. Applications of these dyes in the affinity chromatography of proteins has been extensively studied for over five decades. Their ability to bind a large array of proteins could make them a suitable candidate to bind other macromolecules biospecifically and in a differentiated manner. Nucleic acids or entities such as viral particles, encapsulated in a protein coating, may also demonstrate an affinity to particular dyes. Covering various surfaces with such dyes, including PPE, could provide a novel and inexpensive method to limit the spread of viral diseases by capturing viruses. In this study, a selection of five Procion dyes, including Blue MX-R, Red MX-5B, Yellow MX-4R, Red H-3BN and Orange MX-G, were bound to DEAE Sephadex A-50 slurry, and to cotton and silk textile fibres. A wide range of bacterial proteins, bacterial genomic DNA and RNA were found to bind differentially to the undyed and Procion dye-tagged resin. Double stranded DNA showed promising interaction with the dyes when passed through an improvised syringe column, containing Procion dye-ligand resin, especially with Blue MX-R and Orange MX-G. Interaction with Red MX-5B and Yellow MX-4R reduced bacteriophage titre substantially in a T4 sample, upon exposure to dyed cotton. However, it is still unclear whether these dyes may have the potential to control disease transmission. Additional research, involving larger sample sizes and alteration of some parameters, like pH and temperature, should be conducted to validate the current results.