Mercury(II)-Catalyzed Cleavage, Isomerization and Depurination of RNA and DNA Model Compounds and Desulfurization of Their Phosphoromonothioate Analogs

The potential of Hg(II), a metal ion so-far overlooked in the development of artificial nucleases, to cleave RNA and DNA has been assessed. Accordingly, Hg(II)-promoted cleavage and isomerization of the RNA model compound adenylyl-3′,5′-(2′,3′-O-methyleneadenosine) and depurination of 2′-deoxyadenosine were followed by HPLC as a function of pH (5.0–6.0) and the desulfurization of both diastereomers of the phosphoromonothioate analog of adenylyl-3′,5′-(2′,3′-O-methyleneadenosine) at a single pH (6.9). At 5 mM [Hg(II)], cleavage of the RNA model compound was accelerated by two orders of magnitude at the low and by one order of magnitude at the high end of the pH range. Between 0 and 5 mM [Hg(II)], the cleavage rate showed a sigmoidal dependence on [Hg(II)], suggesting the participation of more than one Hg(II) in the reaction. Isomerization and depurination were also facilitated by Hg(II), but much more modestly than cleavage, less than 2-fold over the entire pH range studied. Phosphoromonothioate desulfurization was by far the most susceptible reaction to Hg(II) catalysis, being accelerated by more than four orders of magnitude.

Polyoxometalates as artificial nucleases: hydrolytic cleavage of DNA promoted by a highly negatively charged ZrIV-substituted Keggin polyanion

A highly negatively charged ZrIV-substituted Keggin polyoxometalate [{α-PW11O39Zr(μ-OH)(H2O)}2]8− (ZrK 2 : 2) promoted the hydrolysis of phosphoester bonds in the supercoiled plasmid pUC19 DNA under physiological pH and temperature.

Photo-induced DNA cleavage by zinc-substituted myoglobin with a redesigned active center

Artificial nucleases were constructed by the redesign of the heme center in myoglobin (Mb) and replacement of the native heme with zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), which exhibit tunable photo-induced DNA cleavage activity.

Synthesis, structure, electrochemical, DNA interaction and antimicrobial studies of fluorinated trans-dicationic pyridinium porphyrins

trans-Dicationic pyridinium porphyrins are superior artificial nucleases compared to their non-fluorinated analogues and bind with calf thymus DNA by outside groove binding with or without self-stacking, also show significant antimicrobial activities.

Copper and zinc complexes of a diaza-crown ether as artificial nucleases for the efficient hydrolytic cleavage of DNA

Copper and zinc complexes of a diaza-crown ether, serving as artificial nucleases, exhibited high nuclease activities towards the hydrolytic cleavage of DNA.