Metal ion-directed dynamic splicing of DNA through global conformational change by intramolecular complexation

Abstract

Chemically engineered DNAs—in which global conformation can be modulated in response to specific stimuli—could be allosteric functional DNAs themselves or work as a modulator of the functional nucleic acids such as DNAzymes and aptamers. Here, we show that two terpyridines built in the DNA backbone form a stable intramolecular 1:2 complex, [M(terpy)2](2+), with divalent transition metal ions. Upon complexation, the DNA conjugates adopt a Ω-shape structure, in which two distal sequences located outside the terpyridines connect with each other to form a continuous segment with a specific structure or sequence. Such a DNA structure is globally controlled by local metal complexation events that can be rationally designed based on general coordination chemistry. This method is regarded as metal ion-directed dynamic sequence edition or DNA splicing. DNAzymes with peroxidase-like activity can thus be regulated by several transition metal ions through sequence edition techniques based on the Ω-motif.