biostudies-literatureJoaqui-Joaqui MADivision of ChemistryNational Institutes of HealthNational Institute of General Medical SciencesNIGMS NIH HHSNational Science Foundation2928-2941https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8926058biostudies-literatureUnknown16(2)Self-assembly of metallointercalators into DNA nanocages is a rapid and facile approach to synthesize discrete bioinorganic host/guest structures with a high load of metal complexes. Turberfield's DNA tetrahedron can accommodate one intercalator for every two base pairs, which corresponds to 48 metallointercalators per DNA tetrahedron. The affinity of the metallointercalator for the DNA tetrahedron is a function of both the structure of the intercalating ligand and the overall charge of the complex, with a trend in affinity [Ru(bpy)₂(dppz)]²⁺ > [Tb-DOTAm-Phen]³⁺ ≫ Tb-DOTA-Phen. Intercalation of the metal complex stabilizes the DNA tetrahedron, resulting in an increase of its melting temperature and, importantly, a significant increase in its stability in thACS nanoMetallointercalators-DNA Tetrahedron Supramolecular Self-Assemblies with Increased Serum Stability.PMC8926058T32GM132029ECCS-20251245T32AG029796-14CHE-2107427T32 GM132029Shao FPierre VCRamakrishnam Raju MVSrivastava KArriaga EAJoaqui-Joaqui MAMaxwell ZJiang MfalseMetallointercalators-DNA Tetrahedron Supramolecular Self-Assemblies with Increased Serum Stability.Self-assembly of metallointercalators into DNA nanocages is a rapid and facile approach to synthesize discrete bioinorganic host/guest structures with a high load of metal complexes. Turberfield's DNA tetrahedron can accommodate one intercalator for every two base pairs, which corresponds to 48 metallointercalators per DNA tetrahedron. The affinity of the metallointercalator for the DNA tetrahedron is a function of both the structure of the intercalating ligand and the overall charge of the complex, with a trend in affinity [Ru(bpy)₂(dppz)]²⁺ > [Tb-DOTAm-Phen]³⁺ ≫ Tb-DOTA-Phen. Intercalation of the metal complex stabilizes the DNA tetrahedron, resulting in an increase of its melting temperature and, importantly, a significant increase in its stability in th2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Feb2025-04-05T15:44:02.805Z2025-04-05T15:44:02.805ZS-EPMC89260583513378510.1021/acsnano.1c10084