Comment on the frequently used method of the metal complex-DNA binding constant determination from UV-Vis data.

Present contribution describes the UV-Vis study of the mixture of Cu(II) ions, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate nicotinoyl hydrazone and DNA. Neither free hydrazone nor its copper(II) complex interacts with DNA under the given concentration conditions. The changes in the UV-Vis spectra of the mixture containing metal complex and DNA are caused by partial dissociation of the coordination compound and complexation of the released Cu(II) ions with DNA. This result was obtained by the analysis of a number of the reactions that could occur in the solution of Cu(II) ions, buffer components (namely, Tris), ligand (hydrazone), and DNA.