An efficient tRNA cleaver without additional co-reactants at physiological condition.

Area of Science:

• Coordination Chemistry
• Biomolecular Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Development of chemical nucleases for biomacromolecule degradation.
• Need for efficient decontamination agents under mild conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel square-planar Cu(II) complex, [Cu(Me-Im)(gly-gly)]∙H2O 1.
• To evaluate the complex's ability to bind and degrade RNA.
• To explore its potential applications in microbial decontamination.

Main Methods:

• Single crystal X-ray diffraction for structural characterization.
• UV-vis spectroscopy and fluorescence quenching for RNA binding analysis.
• Cyclic voltammetry on modified Au electrodes for RNA degradation studies.

Main Results:

• The Cu(II) complex exhibits strong binding to RNA with a binding constant (Kb) of 1.24 × 10^5 M^-1.
• Efficient degradation of RNA's high-order structure (>90% within 113 h) was observed in physiological conditions (pH 7.0, 37°C).
• The complex shows a well-defined redox couple on Au electrodes, indicating electrochemical activity.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized Cu(II) complex acts as an effective chemical nuclease.
• Its strong RNA binding and degradation capabilities pave the way for novel materials in microbial decontamination.
• The study demonstrates potential for applications in decontaminating microorganisms under mild conditions.