Why Study the Binding and Photoreactions of Metal Complexes with DNA

1 Why Study the Binding and Photoreactions of Metal Complexes With DNA  

During the last ten years, studies of luminescence and photochemistry of polypyridyl Ru(II), Rh(III) and Co(III) complexes, porphyrins and uranyl salts, in the presence of biological macromolecules such as DNA, have been the focus of increasing research work. The interest in such coordination compounds stems from their easily tunable properties. Not only their size and shape but also their 

The accumulation of data on these metallic complexes in the area of solar energy conversion and storage [2], has allowed a rationalisation of the photochemistry of these compounds [3,4], Therefore they can now be easily applied in the context of DNA biochemistry. 

In a quite different context, the metal complexes with DNA will certainly find interesting applications in supramolecular (photo)chemistry [11], In this regard, DNA may be used as an interesting molecular scaffolding for the study of DNA-mediated electron transfer processes and charge migrations through the DNA double helix. 

Finally these compounds may also present in the future some interest in the area of novel anti-tumor drugs, or in photochemotherapy [12], Up to now the mechanism of action of the Pt complexes as antineoplastic agents has been extensively examined [13]. In spite of their successful applications, there is a need in compounds that are less toxic than the Pt derivatives. Therefore novel photo-active metallic compounds could offer future possibilities for cancer treatment. The fact that a drug would become active exclusively under illumination might represent an advantage. 

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