Enantiospecific kinking of DNA by a partially intercalating metal complex†
Abstract
Opposite enantiomers of [Ru(phenanthroline)3]2+ affect the persistence length of DNA differently, a long speculated effect of helix kinking. Our molecular dynamics simulations confirm a substantial change of duplex secondary structure produced by wedge-intercalation of one but not the other enantiomer. This effect is exploited by several classes of DNA operative