Design of a chemical nuclease model with (Lys)2Cu as the core motif

Abstract

Coded amino acid L-lysine is utilized for the design of a chemical nuclease model wherein the α-amino carboxylate unit of the amino acid is used for the formation of the copper complex acting as the metal cleaving centre, and the ω-amino function of the molecule is exploited to carry the DNA recognition elements; models with duplex purines and quinazolines as the carrier ligands attached at the ω-amino end of the lysine–metal template are synthesized and demonstrated to effect the cleavage of double stranded DNA under physiological conditions.