Heavy metal-nucleotide interactions. Binding of methylmercury(II) to pyrimidine nucleosides and nucleotides. Studies by Raman difference spectroscopy

Thymine vanadyl(II) compound as a diabetic drug model: chemical spectroscopic and antimicrobial assessments

The aim of this study was to synthesize a novel bifunctionalized thymine vanadyl(II) compound. The solid vanadyl(II) compound has been characterized by elemental analyses (CHN), Raman laser, infrared spectra, molar conductivity, electronic spectra, thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) studies. Electronic and magnetic measurements have confirmed that the speculated geometry of vanadyl(II) compound is square pyramidal geometry. The microbial test was performed for the vanadyl complex against some kinds of bacteria and fungi. The results suggested that [VO(Thy)2] adduct has an anti-diabetic profile.

Binding of Hg(II) to poly(dA): poly(dT) and its component single strands

Mercuric binding studies at pH 10 revealed that poly(dA): poly(dT) exhibits a more dramatic absorption spectral alteration than the alternating polymer poly(dA-dT):poly(dA-dT) and induces a unique intense positive CD band at 296 nm during the spectral titrations. Comparative studies with its component single strands suggest that the spectral alterations exhibited by poly(dA): poly(dT) are consistent with a binding model in which the mercuric ions initially bind to thymines and cause the eventual strand separation of the duplex, with subsequent high cooperative binding to the poly(dA) strands. This interpretation is supported by the binding isotherms indicating much stronger mercuric binding to poly(dT) than to poly(dA), with saturation binding densities of 1 Hg(II) per 2 bases and 1 Hg(II) per base, respectively, and very high binding cooperativity for poly(dA). Striking spectral alterations are exhibited by the mercuric binding to poly(dA), likely the consequence of binding to the amino group of dA in an alkaline solution. The mononucleoside dA exhibits minor spectral alterations upon similar mercuric chloride additions whereas the dinucleoside monophosphate d(AA) exhibits significant spectral changes, albeit less pronounced than those of poly(dA). Some sequence effects on the mercuric binding are observed in the dinucleotide studies. Our CD results on the mercuric binding to polynucleotides do not support the contention of (psi)-type condensed complex formation.

Radioiododemercuration: a simple synthesis of 5-[123/125/127I]iodo-2'-deoxyuridine

Through the use of iododemercuration, 5-[123/125I]iodo-2'-deoxyuridine was synthesized rapidly and with high radiochemical purity from 5-chloromercuri-2'-deoxyuridine. The synthesis of radioiodinated 2'-deoxyuridine was achieved in one step in the presence of Iodogen in 50% yield after isolation by reverse phase high performance column chromatography. The radiochemical purity was greater than 99%. The ease and the absence of any starting material, suggests that radiohalodemercuration may be the method of choice for this and structurally similar compounds.

Selenite prevents the induction of sister-chromatid exchanges by methyl mercury and mercuric chloride in human whole-blood cultures

The protective effect of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) against the cytogenetic toxicity of methyl mercury (CH3HgCl) and mercuric chloride (HgCl2) were investigated on human whole-blood cultures in relation to induction of sister-chromatid exchange (SCE). Both mercurials caused a dose-dependent increase in SCEs, methyl mercury being about 5 times more potent than mercuric chloride. Sodium selenite also induced SCEs. However, the simultaneous addition of selenite (1 x 10(-7) -3 x 10(-5) M) to cell cultures containing either methyl mercury (3 x 10(-6) M) or mercuric chloride (1 x 10(-5) M) prevented the induction of SCEs by the mercurial in a clear dose-related manner. When selenite and mercurial were simultaneously added at a molar ratio of 1:2 Na2SeO3:CH3HgCl, or 1:1 Na2SeO3:HgCl2, cells from treated cultures showed no increase in the SCE frequency. These results indicate that selenite and mercury mutually antagonize their ability to cause DNA damage leading to the formation of SCEs. The formation of bis(methylmercuric)selenide, (CH3Hg)2Se, from Na2SeO3 and CH3HgCl, or a high molecular complex consisting of glutathione-Se-Hg from Na2SeO3 and HgCl2 involving the participation of glutathione in RBCs might play a key role in this antagonism between mercury and selenium.

1H-NMR lifetimes of cytosine interactions with the DNA melting probe, methylmercury

Studies on monomeric cytosine were undertaken to establish a kinetic foundation for the progressive melting of DNA by the mutagen, methylmercury. The reversible displacement of protons by methylmercury at the amino group of cytosine is slow on the 1H-NMR time scale at 100 and 360 MHz. Exchange coupled resonances are produced, not only for all protons of the free- and mercurated amino species, but for the rotational isomers of the latter. These spectra provide for assignment of all exchange-coupled resonances, selection of resonances providing mercuration rates from line shape and measurement of pH-dependent reciprocal lifetimes of the free-amino species (less than or equal to 6 s-1 at pH 3 and 15 s-1 at pH 4). Evidence is presented for the existence of an amino-mercurated species of cytidine thus far not reported (formation constant, 10.

Binding sites between platinum (II) and uracil derivatives

The complexes of triammineplatinum with uracil, 6-methyluracil, or uridine were prepared in aqueous solution at pH 7. The reaction of uracil with triammineplatinum gave two complexes at the same time. One was a complex in which triammineplatinum displaced a proton from uracil and coordinated to the N(3) position, and the other the complex coordinated to the N(1) position by displacing a proton. When triammineplatinum was treated with 6-methyluracil or uridine in aqueous solution at pH7, only a complex coordinated to the N(3) position was obtained. The ultraviolet (UV), NMR, and infrared (IR) spectral data provide useful information for determining the binding site of these complexes. The UV and IR spectral behaviors of the complex coordinated to the N(3) of uracil are very similar to those of 3-methyluracil. The NMR spectrum of the complex coordinated to the N(1) of uracil exhibits satellite peaks of 195Pt-proton and its coupling constant (39 Hz) gives good evidence for determining the binding site at the N(1) position.

Heavy metal-nucleoside interactions. Binding of methylmercury(II) to inosine and catalysis of the isotopic exchange of the C-8 hydrogen studied by 1-H nuclear magnetic resonance and raman difference spectrophotometry

Raman difference spectrophotometry reveals that CH3HgII binds quantitatively to N(1) of inosine at pH 8, substituting for the proton. When N(1) is saturated, binding occurs at a second site. Measurements of the 1-H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of both inosine and of CH3Hg-II are in agreement with the N(1) binding and indicate that the second site for mercuriation is N(7). This second binding reaction is observed to increase the rate of exchange of the C(8) hydrogen with solvent, consistent with results observed for alkylation at N(7). Coordination of the electrophilic CH3Hg-II to N(7) increases the acidity of H(8), facilitating OHminus--catalyzed proton abstraction and reprotonation by themedium. For comparison, the reaction of CH3Hg-II with [8-2-H]inosine has been studied. Displacement of the N(1) hydrogen upon mercuriation of inosine causes a significant electron delocalization into the ring, increasing the basicity of N(7), and accounting for the synergic effect in metal binding observed originally by Simpson. In contrast, 1-methylinosine interacts only slightly with CH3Hg-II at pH 8. Coordination appears to be at N(7), since H(8) again is observed to exchange rapidly with solvent protons. In acidic solution, pH less than 2, binding to inosine is almost quantitative and exclusively to N(7). The behavior of CH3Hg-II is compared with that of Pt(II) and with Ni(II), Co(II), AND Zn(II). A brief comparison is made among ultraviolet absorption spectrophotometry, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Raman difference spectrophotometry for studying reactions of nucleosides and nucleotides.

Direct covalent mercuration of nucleotides and polynucleotides

Nucleotides of cytosine and uracil are readily mercurated by heating at 37-50 degrees in buffered aqueous solutions (pH 5.0-8.0) containing mercuric acetate. Proton magnetic resonance, elemental, electrophoretic, and chromatographic analyses have shown the products to be 5-mercuricytosine and 5-mercuriuracil derivatives, where the mercury atom is covalently bonded. Polynucleotides can be mercurated under similar conditions. Cytosine and uracil bases are modified in RNA while only cytosine residues in DNA are substituted. There is little, if any, reaction with adenine, thymine, or guanine bases. The rate of polymer mercuration is, unlike that of mononucleotides, markedly influenced by the ionic strength of the reaction mixture: the lower the ionic strength the faster the reaction rate. Pyrimidine residues in single- and double-stranded polymers react at essentially the same rate. Although most polynucleotides can be extensively mercurated at pH 7.0 in sodium or Trisacetate buffers, tRNA undergoes only limited substitution in Tris buffers. The mild reaction conditions give minimal single-strand breakage and, unlike direct iodination procedures, do not produce pyrimidine hydrates. Mercurated polynucleotides can be exploited in a variety of ways, particularly by crystallographic and electron microscopic techniques, as tools for studying polynucleotide structure.

Heavy metal-nucleotide interactions. III. The participation of amino groups in the binding of methylmercury (II) to cytidine and adenosine 5'-phosphate in aqueous solution: studies by Raman difference spectrophotometry

Raman difference spectrophotometry has been used to study the interaction of CH3Hg(II) with cytidine and Ado-5'-P at high pH. In contrast to the binding reactions which occur at lower pH or in non-aqueous solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide, a proton is transferred from the amino group; and the complexes are CH3HgCydH-1 and CH3HgAdoH-1-5'-P. The spectra are significantly different from those of the cationic complexes. The integrated intensities of ligand modes which shift upon metalation can be used to measure the concentration of unreacted ligand and consequently the extent of the reaction. Equilibrium constants for the reactions CH3HgOH + L yields CH3HgLH-1 + H2O were estimated to be log KCyd equals 0.63 plus or minus 0.05 and log KAdo-5'-P equals 0.85 plus or minus 0.05, in fair agreement with values determined under very different conditions by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The vibrational spectrum of the ligand in CH3HgCydH-1 is virtually the same as that of UrdH-1- which is isoelectronic. The spectrum of the ligand in CH3HgAdoH-1-5'-P is more similar to the isoelectronic base InoH-1-than to Ado-5'-P, although the resemblance is not so close as in the CydH-1---UrdH-1-case. The structures of these complexes are discussed on the basis of their vibrational spectra and similarities in the spectra of related compounds. It is concluded that the CH3Hg(II) binds to the amino nitrogen at high pH with both cytidine and Ado-5'-P. In neutral solution with excess CH3Hg(II), metalation occurs on the amino groups, on the ring, and also on the ribose.