Chemical control of the DNA light switch: cycling the switch ON and OFF. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The emission of the DNA light-switch complex [Ru(bpy)2(tpphz)]2+ (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, tpphz = tetrapyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c:3' ',2' '-h:2' '',3' ''-j]phenazine) can be reversibly turned ON and OFF over several cycles. The tpphz and taptp (taptp = 4,5,9,18-tetraazaphenanthreno[9,10-b] triphenylene) ligands in [Ru(bpy)2(tpphz)]2+ and [Ru(bpy)2(taptp)]2+, respectively, intercalate between the DNA bases, and a 50-fold increase in emission intensity of [Ru(bpy)2(tpphz)]2+ is observed upon DNA intercalation. The [Ru(bpy)2(tpphz)]2+ DNA light switch can be turned OFF statically in the presence of Co2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+, and the emission can be fully restored by the addition of EDTA. Cycling of the DNA light switch OFF and ON can be accomplished through the successive introduction of Co2+ and EDTA, respectively, to solutions of DNA-bound [Ru(bpy)2(tpphz)]2+. Owing to the absence of additional coordination sites, the emission of DNA-intercalated [Ru(bpy)2(taptp)]2+ is not quenched by transition metal ions in solution. To our knowledge, this work presents the first example of a reversible DNA light switch.

published proceedings

  • J Am Chem Soc

author list (cited authors)

  • Liu, Y., Chouai, A., Degtyareva, N. N., Lutterman, D. A., Dunbar, K. R., & Turro, C.

citation count

  • 119

complete list of authors

  • Liu, Yao||Chouai, Abdellatif||Degtyareva, Natalya N||Lutterman, Daniel A||Dunbar, Kim R||Turro, Claudia

publication date

  • August 2005