Rational design of a photoswitchable DNA glue enabling high regulatory function and supramolecular chirality transfer.

ABSTRACT: Short, complementary DNA single strands with mismatched base pairs cannot undergo spontaneous formation of duplex DNA (dsDNA). Mismatch binding ligands (MBLs) can compensate this effect, inducing the formation of the double helix and thereby acting as a molecular glue. Here, we present the rational design of photoswitchable MBLs that allow for reversible dsDNA assembly by light. Careful choice of the azobenzene core structure results in excellent band separation of the E and Z isomers of the involved chromophores. This effect allows for efficient use of light as an external control element for duplex DNA formation and for an in-depth study of the DNA-ligand interaction by UV-Vis, SPR, and CD spectroscopy, revealing a tight mutual interaction and complementarity between the ph

SUBMITTER: Simeth NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8261765 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature