Interaction of silver atomic quantum clusters with living organisms: bactericidal effect of Ag₃ clusters mediated by disruption of topoisomerase-DNA complexes.

ABSTRACT: Essential processes for living cells such as transcription and replication depend on the formation of specific protein-DNA recognition complexes. Proper formation of such complexes requires suitable fitting between the protein surface and the DNA surface. By adopting doxorubicin (DOX) as a model probe, we report here that Ag₃ atomic quantum clusters (Ag-AQCs) inhibit the intercalation of DOX into DNA and have considerable influence on the interaction of DNA-binding proteins such as topoisomerase IV, Escherichia coli DNA gyrase and the restriction enzyme HindIII. Ag-AQCs at nanomolar concentrations inhibit enzyme activity. The inhibitory effect of Ag-AQCs is dose-dependent and occurs by intercalation into DNA. All these effects, not observed in the presence of Ag⁺

SUBMITTER: Neissa J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5950836 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature