Are i‐Motif Structures in DNA Compatible with Cytosine–Ag(I)–Cytosine Base Pairs?

V Victoria Seiffert (Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie Universität Münster Corrensstr. 28/30 48149 Münster Germany) C Carmen López‐Chamorro (Departamento de Química Inorgánica Unidad de Excelencia Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Granada Avda Fuentenueva s/n Granada 18071 Spain) M Miquel Barceló‐Oliver (Departament de Química Universitat de les Illes Balears carretera Valldemossa km 7.5, Ed. Mateu Orfila i Rotger Palma de Mallorca 07122 Spain) C Catharina Erbacher (Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie Universität Münster Corrensstr. 48 48149 Münster Germany) U Uwe Karst M Marian Hebenbrock (Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie Universität Münster Corrensstr. 28/30 48149 Münster Germany) H Heinz‐Bernhard Kraatz (Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough 1265 Military Trail Toronto M1C 1A4 Canada) M Miguel A. Galindo (Departamento de Química Inorgánica Unidad de Excelencia Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Granada Avda Fuentenueva s/n Granada 18071 Spain) J Jens Müller

Abstract

Abstract To evaluate whether the protons of hemi‐protonated C:CH + base pairs in DNA i‐motif structures can be replaced by silver ions, an i‐motif/duplex junction (IDJ) known to be stable at pH 7 was investigated. Interestingly, only the most accessible out of five C:CH + pairs in the structure can be converted into a C–Ag I –C base pair, as was derived by 1 H NMR spectroscopy, luminescence spectroscopy, temperature‐dependent UV spectroscopy, and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). When more than one silver ion is present per IDJ, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and CD spectroscopy indicate that the IDJ rearranges into a larger aggregated structure, likely to contain non‐canonical silver‐mediated base pairs. The study suggests that—in contrast to earlier reports—the DNA i‐motif in general is not compatible with the formation of contiguous C–Ag I –C pairs.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 2
Published January 09, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (9)

V

Victoria Seiffert

Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie Universität Münster Corrensstr. 28/30 48149 Münster Germany

C

Carmen López‐Chamorro

Departamento de Química Inorgánica Unidad de Excelencia Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Granada Avda Fuentenueva s/n Granada 18071 Spain

M

Miquel Barceló‐Oliver

Departament de Química Universitat de les Illes Balears carretera Valldemossa km 7.5, Ed. Mateu Orfila i Rotger Palma de Mallorca 07122 Spain

C

Catharina Erbacher

Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie Universität Münster Corrensstr. 48 48149 Münster Germany

U

Uwe Karst

M

Marian Hebenbrock

Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie Universität Münster Corrensstr. 28/30 48149 Münster Germany

H

Heinz‐Bernhard Kraatz

Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough 1265 Military Trail Toronto M1C 1A4 Canada

M

Miguel A. Galindo

Departamento de Química Inorgánica Unidad de Excelencia Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Granada Avda Fuentenueva s/n Granada 18071 Spain

J

Jens Müller