Frontiers in Chemistry (Nov 2019)

Stabilization of Long-Looped i-Motif DNA by Polypyridyl Ruthenium Complexes

  • Benjamin J. Pages,
  • Sarah P. Gurung,
  • Sarah P. Gurung,
  • Kane McQuaid,
  • Kane McQuaid,
  • James P. Hall,
  • James P. Hall,
  • Christine J. Cardin,
  • John A. Brazier

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2019.00744
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7

Abstract

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A spectroscopic study of the interactions of Λ- and Δ-[Ru(phen)2(dppz)]2+ with i-motif DNA containing thymine loops of various lengths. In the presence of i-motifs, the luminescence of the Λ enantiomer was enhanced much more than the Δ. Despite this, the effect of each enantiomer on i-motif thermal stability was comparable. The sequences most affected by [Ru(phen)2(dppz)]2+ were those with long thymine loops; this suggests that long-looped i-motifs are attractive targets for potential transition metal complex drugs and should be explored further in drug design.

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