Synthesis, characterization of ruthenium(II) complex of 1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methyl-anthraquinone (emodin) and its binding behavior with c-myc G-quadruplex

• A novel ruthenium(II) complex of emodin has been synthesized.
• The binding behavior with c-myc G4 DNA has been further investigated.
• This complex could bind and stabilize the conformation of c-myc G-quadruplex.

In this paper, a novel ruthenium(II) complex of emodin, Ru(bpy)2Emodin(RBL17, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine; Eomdin = 1,3,8-trihydroxy-6-methyl-anthraquinone), has been synthesized and characterized by ESI-MS, 1H NMR, 1H–1H COSY and electronic spectra. The binding behavior of RBL17 with c-myc G4 DNA has been further investigated by ITC (isothermal titration calorimetry), FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) and 1H NMR spectra, as well as spectroscopic methods. Those results showed that this complex has the ability to bind and stabilize the conformation of c-myc G-quadruplex via groove binding mode. Taken together, ruthenium(II) complex of emodin can act as a potential inhibitor in chemotherapy by targeting to c-myc G4 DNA.

A novel ruthenium(II) complex of emodin has been synthesized and characterized, which has the ability to stabilize the conformation of c-myc G-quadruplex via groove binding mode.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide