Cu(II) complexes conjugated with 9-aminoacridine intercalator: Their binding modes to DNA and activities as chemical nuclease

Abstract

New mono- and bis-Cu(II)-triazacyclononane(tacn) complex that conjugated with 9-aminoacridine were synthesized, and their binding modes and DNA cleavage activity were investigated in this study. When the classic intercalator, 9-aminoacridine, was conjugated to mono- and bis-Cu(II)-tacn complexes, a significant red-shift and hypochromism in absorption spectrum was apparent in the acridine absorption region upon binding to DNA. Furthermore, the magnitude of the negative reduced linear dichroism signal in the substrate absorption region appeared to be larger than that in the DNA absorption region. These spectral observations indicated that the acridine moiety intercalated when the Cu(II)-tacn complex was conjugated. In contrast, from a close analysis of the circular and linear dichroism spectrum, the aminoacridine-free bis-Cu(II)-tacn complex was concluded to bind at the phosphate groups of DNA. The 9-aminoacridine-free-bis-Cu(II)-tacn complex produces the nicked and linear DNA. On the other hand, 9-aminoacridine conjugated mono-and bis-Cu(II)-tacn complexes showed unspecific binding with negligible DNA cleavage.