title: Novel DNA sensor for guanine content.
abstract: The bifunctional complex [Ru(TAP)(2)POQ-Nmet](2+), 1, formed with a [Ru(TAP)(2)Phen](2+) metallic unit linked to a quinoline moiety, and [Ru(TAP)(2)Phen](2+), 2, as reference, have been tested as photoprobes of DNA. Interestingly, 1 exhibits an emission enhancement of a factor of 16-17 upon binding to calf thymus DNA. Moreover, this emission is modulated by the nucleic base content of the polynucleotide. It varies by almost an order of magnitude from a polynucleotide containing 100% of G-C to a guanine-free nucleic acid where the excited-state lifetime reaches about 2 micros. The origins of these interesting properties are analyzed by comparing 1 with reference 2 in the presence of different polynucleotides.
authors.affiliation: Chimie Organique Physique, Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP 160/08, 50 Avenue F. D. Roosevelt, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Del Guerzo
authors.forename: Andrée
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kirsch-De Mesmaeker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D002417:Cattle; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D006147:Guanine / Q000032:analysis*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D011119:Polynucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D012428:Ruthenium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013941:Thymine / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C453179:(ruthenium(1,4,5,8-tetraazaphenanthrene)(2)5-(4-(N-methyl-N-(7-chloroquinolin-4-yl)amino)-2-thiabutylcarboxamido)1,10-phenanthroline); D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011119:Polynucleotides; D006147:Guanine; D012428:Ruthenium; D004247:DNA; C427203:calf thymus DNA; D013941:Thymine