A DNA Structure Containing AgI -Mediated G:G and C:C Base Pairs

Hehua Liu; Fusheng Shen; Phensinee Haruehanroengra; Qingqing Yao; Yunshan Cheng; Yiqing Chen; Chun Yang; Jing Zhang; Baixing Wu; Qiang Luo; Ruixue Cui; Jixi Li; Jinbiao Ma; Jia Sheng; Jianhua Gan

doi:10.1002/anie.201704891

A DNA Structure Containing Ag^I -Mediated G:G and C:C Base Pairs

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2017 Aug 1;56(32):9430-9434. doi: 10.1002/anie.201704891. Epub 2017 Jul 7.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
² Department of Chemistry and The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, 12222, USA.
³ State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.

PMID: 28635152
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201704891

Abstract

Metal-mediated base pairs have been extensively utilized in many research fields, including genetic-code extension, novel therapeutics development, and nanodevice design. Compared to other cations, Ag^I is more flexible in pairing with natural base pairs. Herein, we present a DNA structure containing two C-Ag^I -C pairs and the first reported G-Ag^I -G pair in a short 8mer DNA strand. This structure not only provides detailed insight into these Ag^I -mediated base-pairing patterns in DNA, but also represents the first nonhelical DNA structure driven by heavy-metal ions, thus further contributing to the structural diversity of DNA. This unique complex structure is highly sequence-dependent, thus implying functional potentials as a new DNA aptamer that can bind and recognize silver ions. These results not only advance our understanding of the interactions between Ag^I and nucleobases, but also provide a unique structural component for the rational design of new DNA nanodevices.

Keywords: DNA structures; metal-mediated base pairs; nonhelical DNA; structure elucidation; unnatural base pairs.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't