Interaction of Metal Complexes with DNA

Our research belongs to the fields of Bioinorganic Chemistry. We synthesize mono- and dinuclear metal complexes and are interested how they interact with a biochemical system that is in our case DNA. Especially we study the effects of metal complex binding to DNA such as the transition from right-handed B-DNA to the left-handed Z-DNA (see Figure on the left). Another consequence of the metal binding to DNA can be the denaturation, which is the separation of double-stranded to single-stranded DNA. Structure determination of small molecules and DNA by X-ray analysis and EPR spectroscopy helps us to design even more efficiently reagents for the intended purposes.

In order to tackle these scientific questions, we apply a highly multi-disciplinary approach. We use the following chemical and biochemical techniques: organic and inorganic syntheses, UV/vis and circular dichroic spectroscopy, melting curves, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and stopped-flow analysis.

The following topics are in the center of our current work:

♦ Synthesis of mono- and dinuclear metal complexes that can induce or detect the left-handed Z-DNA

♦ Synthesis of mono- and dinuclear metal complexes that can induce or detect denatured DNA

♦ Mechanistic and structural studies of the mono- and dinuclear metal complexes interacting with DNA

♦ New fluorescent transition metal sensors

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