Noncovalently Bound Cofactors for Chemical Nucleases

Abstract

A large range of amino acids, including protected ones, were tested as cofactors in the EuIII-catalyzed hydrolysis of the biocidic bi(nitrophenyl)phosphate (BNPP) and of plasmid DNA. Serine, histidine, and aspartic acid − and combinations of these − were found to be the most effective acids. An azacrown with two attached imidazoles led to more pronounced effects, resulting, in the presence of dicarboxylic acids, in increases of up to krel = 5 in comparison with the effect of the metal alone. Incorporation of imidazole and carboxylic group within a single synthetic cofactor resulted in the largest EuIII catalysis rate increase so far observed with plasmid DNA.