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Induction of a Four-Way Junction Structure in the DNA Palindromic Hexanucleotide 5'-d(CGTACG)-3' by a Mononuclear
Vincent H S van Rixel1, Anja Busemann1, Mathijs F Wissingh1
1Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, PO Box 9502, 2333CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Four-way junctions (4WJs) are supramolecular DNA assemblies comprising four interacting DNA strands that in biology are involved in DNA-damage repair. In this study, a new mononuclear platinum(II) complex 1 was prepared that is capable of driving the crystallization of the DNA oligomer 5'-d(CGTACG)-3' specifically into a 4WJ-like motif. In the crystal structure of the 1-CGTACG adduct, the distorted-square-planar platinum complex binds to the core of the 4WJ-like motif through π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding, without forming any platinum-nitrogen coordination bonds. Our observations suggest that the specific molecular properties of the metal complex are crucially responsible for triggering the selective assembly of this peculiar DNA superstructure.