Di-copper(ii) DNA G-quadruplexes as EPR distance rulers

Chem Commun (Camb). 2018 Jul 11;54(54):7455-7458. doi: 10.1039/c8cc04053b. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Abstract

Artificial metal-base tetrads composed of square-planar CuII(pyridine)4 complexes were covalently attached to both the 3' and 5' ends of tetramolecular DNA G-quadruplexes [Ld(G3-5)LdT]4 (L = pyridine ligand) of different lengths. Owing to the planar four-point attachment of the metal complexes, the magnetic orbitals (dx2-y2) of the d9-configured CuII cations are placed in a coplanar fashion, separated by the stacked guanine tetrads. Pulsed EPR-derived CuII-CuII distances and angles were found to be in agreement with those obtained from molecular dynamics simulations. DNA-confined transition metal spin labels open new ways to study oligonucleotide structure and DNA-protein complexes.

MeSH terms

  • Coordination Complexes / chemistry*
  • Copper / chemistry*
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • DNA / genetics
  • Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy / methods*
  • G-Quadruplexes*
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Pyridines / chemistry
  • Spin Labels*

Substances

  • Coordination Complexes
  • Pyridines
  • Spin Labels
  • Copper
  • DNA
  • pyridine