Interactions of tris(phenanthroline)ruthenium(II) enantiomers with DNA: Effects on helix flexibility studied by the electrophoretic behavior of reptating DNA in agarose gel

Journal article, 2000

A combination of measurement of mobility and orientational dynamics of long reptating DNA in agarose gel has been used to reveal how the binding of Delta and Lambda enantiomers of the tris(phenanthroline)ruthenium(II) ion affects the flexibility of the DNA helix. The mobility data, and data over the step length and period time of the reptation cycle, obtained in the presence of the respective enantiomer, are compared with those of free DNA and with data obtained earlier on DNAs with known variations in helix flexibility. The results suggest that the Delta form induces kinks in the DNA helix while the Lambda form gives rise to a local stiffening of the helix.