Volume 17, Issue 7 p. 2089-2098
Full Paper

Photoactive RuII–Polypyridyl Complexes that Display Sequence Selectivity and High-Affinity Binding to Duplex DNA through Groove Binding

Amrita Ghosh

Amrita Ghosh

Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR), Bhavnagar, 364002, Gujarat (India), Fax: (+91) 2782567562

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Priyadip Das

Priyadip Das

Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR), Bhavnagar, 364002, Gujarat (India), Fax: (+91) 2782567562

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Martin R. Gill

Martin R. Gill

Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield: S3 7HF (UK), Fax: (+44) 1142229346

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Prasenjit Kar

Prasenjit Kar

Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR), Bhavnagar, 364002, Gujarat (India), Fax: (+91) 2782567562

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Michael G. Walker

Michael G. Walker

Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield: S3 7HF (UK), Fax: (+44) 1142229346

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Dr. Jim A. Thomas

Corresponding Author

Dr. Jim A. Thomas

Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield: S3 7HF (UK), Fax: (+44) 1142229346

Jim A. Thomas, Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield: S3 7HF (UK), Fax: (+44) 1142229346

Amitava Das, Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR), Bhavnagar, 364002, Gujarat (India), Fax: (+91) 2782567562

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Dr. Amitava Das

Corresponding Author

Dr. Amitava Das

Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR), Bhavnagar, 364002, Gujarat (India), Fax: (+91) 2782567562

Jim A. Thomas, Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield: S3 7HF (UK), Fax: (+44) 1142229346

Amitava Das, Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR), Bhavnagar, 364002, Gujarat (India), Fax: (+91) 2782567562

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First published: 19 January 2011
Citations: 55

Graphical Abstract

Get into the groove: RuII–polypyridyl complexes with pendant catechol functionality have been prepared that show unique biphasic binding to calf-thymus DNA and to the polynucleotides poly(dA–dT)2, poly(dG–dC)2, poly(dA)–poly(dT), and poly(dG)–poly(dC) with a large preference for the alternating purine–pyrimidine sequences, particularly those containing AT.TA steps (see figure).

Abstract

The duplex-DNA binding properties of a nonintercalating polypyridyl ruthenium(II) complex that incorporates a linear extended ligand with a catechol moiety has been probed with a variety of photo- and biophysical techniques. These studies reveal that the complex groove binds to DNA sequences biphasically, and displays binding constants equivalent to those of high-affinity metallointercalators. The complex also displays preferential binding to AT-rich sequences. Changes in the structure of the coordinated catechol ligand and the incorporation of intercalating ancillary ligands into the complex were found to modulate both the optical-binding response and binding parameters of the system, which indicates that the catechol moiety plays a crucial role in the observed enhancement to binding affinities.