Metal-induced point defects in DNA: model and mechanisms

Chem Biodivers. 2008 Oct;5(10):1980-1989. doi: 10.1002/cbdv.200890182.

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the role of H3O+ and transition-metal (TM) ions in keto-enol and amino-imino tautomeric transitions in DNA base pairs and depurination. In this regard, we discuss the thermodynamic model of ion-DNA interactions and UV display of double-proton transfer (DPT) in GC. The probabilities and energies of rare tautomeric forms of GC pairs in DNA induced by H3O+ and TMwere determined being in the range from0.02 (forMg2+) to 1 ( forCu2+), and from 0 kcal/m (for Cu2+) to 2.3 kcal/m (for Mg2+), respectively. It was shown that 3'ACC5'/5'TGG3' site of DNA double helix, which corresponds to the only triplet 5'UGG3' of RNA that codes the most valuable amino acid tryptophan, is a good target for TM ions to attack. It was also shown that the only way to obtain the tryptophan-coding 5'UGG3' triplet in RNA via transition-type G --> A point mutation caused by TM ions is their interaction with the site of a DNA double helix, which corresponds to 5'CGG3' triplet of RNA that codes arginine.

MeSH terms

  • Base Pairing
  • DNA / genetics*
  • DNA Damage*
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Ligands
  • Metals, Heavy / pharmacology*
  • Models, Genetic*
  • Point Mutation*
  • Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Ligands
  • Metals, Heavy
  • DNA