Interaction of metal complexes with nucleic acids

Abstract

This chapter reviews the literature reported during 2009 in the field of interaction of metal complexes with nucleic acids, also covering complex formation between transition metal ions and coordinating moieties within nucleic acids. The chapter has been divided into three sections. The first focuses on the interaction of metal complexes with DNA and is organised according to mode of interaction. The second section discusses examples of metal complexes and metal ions that interact with RNA. The last section presents examples where transition metal cations occupy coordination sites covalently incorporated within DNA strands to yield materials with distinct properties. © 2010 The Royal Society of Chemistry.