Metal ions play an important role in many biochemical reactions in living organisms and the coordination of these metal ions can be reversible making them available for further reactions.  The study of interactions of small molecules with nucleotides can also provide a chemical basis for carcinogenesis and serve as a model for understanding biomolecular recognition processes.  

In order to mimic the functions and properties of metal ion mediated processes, Danaboyina Ramaiah and colleagues from the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, in Trivandrum, have synthesised an anthracene-imidazole ligand, which on complexation with copper dichloride, forms a water soluble metallocyclophane. 

Through investigations of the interaction of this metallocyclophane with various nucleosides and nucleotides, Ramaiah and his team found that it can be used as a probe for the selective recognition the nucleotide guanosine 5'-monophosphate (5'-GMP). The coordinative interactions can be monitored through visual changes in fluorescence intensity.

Due to the selectivity of the system, Ramaiah believes it could have potential applications in biomolecular recognition and could play an important role in the rational design of targeted chemotherapeutic agents and molecular probes for nucleotides and DNA.

Michael Brown