Downloaded by 186.190.30.29 on October 27, 2015 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: August 10, 1989 | doi: 10.1021/bk-1989-0402.pr001
Preface N O T M A N Y Y E A R S A G O a book dealing with the chemistry of both metals and DNA would have seemed a strange collection indeed. Inorganic chemistry and molecular biology were not often subjects of study in the same academic department, let alone by one individual. But a number of developments in both fields have made the connection between transition metal and nucleic acid chemistry a vigorous and exciting area of modern interdisciplinary science. The aim of this book is to introduce inorganic chemists and molecular biologists to the leading edge of research in metal-DNA chemistry. Although metal ions have long been recognized as critically important components of biological systems, emphasis in the past has been placed on metals in association with protein. Only recently has the rich chemistry of metals and nucleic acids begun to be appreciated and exploited. The advent of simple platinum complexes as powerful antitumor drugs undoubtedly sparked much of the interest in this field. More recently, two other aspects of metal-nucleic acid chemistry have attracted great attention and are poised for explosive growth: the development of metal complexes as tools for the structural and functional dissection of genetic systems, and the discovery of metalloproteins that are components of gene regulatory systems. Most of the chapters in this book represent contributions from a symposium titled "Transition Metal-Nucleic Acid Chemistry," whose goal was to enlighten chemists and molecular biologists in new areas of the chemistry of metal ions and nucleic acids. Previous symposia at national meetings of the American Chemical Society have emphasized the use of metal complexes in medicine. Three chapters in the volume present recent results in the chemistry of platinum, palladium, and other metals with DNA and nucleotides. Two emerging research areas that have not previously been the subjects of ACS symposia are also featured. The chemistry of transition metal complexes has become the key to development of sophisticated and sensitive tools for studying structural and functional details of genetic systems. Unusual DNA structures can be unraveled, and protein—DNA interactions can be mapped at high resolution, using metal chemistry. Among these new tools for molecular biology are iron(II) EDTA, copper phenanthroline, and various metalloporphyrins.
ix In Metal-DNA Chemistry; Tullius, T.; ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1989.
Downloaded by 186.190.30.29 on October 27, 2015 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: August 10, 1989 | doi: 10.1021/bk-1989-0402.pr001
The recently recognized role of metals in gene regulation provides an exciting new direction for research in inorganic chemistry and molecular biology. Mercury metalloregulation, proteins that bind to DNA and RNA using zincfingers,and the iron-dependent Fur regulon are three systems that represent the advancingfrontof thisfieldof research. Besides presentations of new experimental results, the symposium also included tutorial sessions that served to introduce methods and ideasfromboth inorganic chemistry and molecular biology to specialists in the other discipline. Material presented in the tutorial is represented in several of the chapters of Metal-DNA Chemistry. Forfinancialsupport of the symposium, I gratefully acknowledge the Donors of The Petroleum Research Fund, administered by the American Chemical Society; the Division of Inorganic Chemistry of the ACS; E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company; Engelhard Industries; and Procter & Gamble.
T H O M A S D. T U L L I U S
Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, M D 21218 May 21, 1989
x In Metal-DNA Chemistry; Tullius, T.; ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1989.
