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Crystal Structure of Metallo DNA Duplex Containing Consecutive Watson–Crick‐like T–Hg II –T Base Pairs
Author(s) -
Kondo Jiro,
Yamada Tom,
Hirose Chika,
Okamoto Itaru,
Tanaka Yoshiyuki,
Ono Akira
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201309066
Subject(s) - duplex (building) , molecular structure of nucleic acids: a structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid , chemistry , base pair , crystallography , crystal structure , dna , nucleic acid , stereochemistry , nanomaterials , ion , nanotechnology , materials science , biochemistry , organic chemistry
The metallo DNA duplex containing mercury‐mediated T–T base pairs is an attractive biomacromolecular nanomaterial which can be applied to nanodevices such as ion sensors. Reported herein is the first crystal structure of a B‐form DNA duplex containing two consecutive T–Hg II –T base pairs. The Hg II ion occupies the center between two T residues. The N3‐Hg II bond distance is 2.0 Å. The relatively short Hg II ‐Hg II distance (3.3 Å) observed in consecutive T–Hg II –T base pairs suggests that the metallophilic attraction could exist between them and may stabilize the B‐form double helix. To support this, the DNA duplex is largely distorted and adopts an unusual nonhelical conformation in the absence of Hg II . The structure of the metallo DNA duplex itself and the Hg II ‐induced structural switching from the nonhelical form to the B‐form provide the basis for structure‐based design of metal‐conjugated nucleic acid nanomaterials.