Biomaterial Database

Tris (phenanthroline) metal complexes: probes for DNA helicity. 1983

J K Barton

Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027.

The intercalative binding of chiral tris(phenanthroline) metal complexes to DNA is stereo-selective. The enantiomeric selectivity is based upon the differential steric interactions between the two non-intercalating phenanthroline ligands of each isomer with the DNA phosphate backbone. Gel electrophoretic assays of helical unwinding, optical enrichment studies by equilibrium dialysis and luminescence titrations with separated enantiomers of (phen)3Ru2+ all indicate that the delta isomer binds preferentially to the right-handed duplex. The chiral discrimination is governed by the DNA helical asymmetry. Complete stereospecifity is seen with isomers of the bulkier RuDIP (tris-4,7-diphenylphenanthrolineruthenium(II]. While both isomers bind to Z-DNA, a poor template for discrimination, binding of lambda-RuDIP to B-DNA is precluded. These chiral complexes therefore serve as a chemical probe to distinguish left and right-handed DNA helices in solution.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007364	Intercalating Agents	Agents that are capable of inserting themselves between the successive bases in DNA, thus kinking, uncoiling or otherwise deforming it and therefore preventing its proper functioning. They are used in the study of DNA.	Intercalating Agent,Intercalating Ligand,Intercalative Compound,Intercalator,Intercalators,Intercalating Ligands,Intercalative Compounds,Agent, Intercalating,Agents, Intercalating,Compound, Intercalative,Compounds, Intercalative,Ligand, Intercalating,Ligands, Intercalating
D009690	Nucleic Acid Conformation	The spatial arrangement of the atoms of a nucleic acid or polynucleotide that results in its characteristic 3-dimensional shape.	DNA Conformation,RNA Conformation,Conformation, DNA,Conformation, Nucleic Acid,Conformation, RNA,Conformations, DNA,Conformations, Nucleic Acid,Conformations, RNA,DNA Conformations,Nucleic Acid Conformations,RNA Conformations
D009942	Organometallic Compounds	A class of compounds of the type R-M, where a C atom is joined directly to any other element except H, C, N, O, F, Cl, Br, I, or At. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)	Metallo-Organic Compound,Metallo-Organic Compounds,Metalloorganic Compound,Organometallic Compound,Metalloorganic Compounds,Compound, Metallo-Organic,Compound, Metalloorganic,Compound, Organometallic,Compounds, Metallo-Organic,Compounds, Metalloorganic,Compounds, Organometallic,Metallo Organic Compound,Metallo Organic Compounds
D010618	Phenanthrolines		Phenanthroline
D004247	DNA	A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine).	DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D013237	Stereoisomerism	The phenomenon whereby compounds whose molecules have the same number and kind of atoms and the same atomic arrangement, but differ in their spatial relationships. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 5th ed)	Molecular Stereochemistry,Stereoisomers,Stereochemistry, Molecular,Stereoisomer
D015335	Molecular Probes	A group of atoms or molecules attached to other molecules or cellular structures and used in studying the properties of these molecules and structures. Radioactive DNA or RNA sequences are used in MOLECULAR GENETICS to detect the presence of a complementary sequence by NUCLEIC ACID HYBRIDIZATION.	Molecular Probe,Probe, Molecular,Probes, Molecular