Zinc finger proteins as templates for metal ion exchange: Substitution effects on the C-finger of HIV nucleocapsid NCp7 using M(chelate) species (M = Pt, Pd, Au)

The interactions of monofunctional [MCl(chelate)] compounds (M = Pt(II), Pd(II) or Au(III) and chelate = diethylenetriamine, dien or 2,2′,2″-terpyridine, terpy) with the C-terminal finger of the HIV nucleocapsid NCp7 zinc finger (ZF) were studied by mass spectrometry and circular dichroism spectroscopy. In the case of [M(dien)] species, Pt(II) and Pd(II) behaved in a similar fashion with evidence of adducts caused by displacement of Pt–Cl or Pd–Cl by zinc-bound thiolate. Labilization, presumably under the influence of the strong trans influence of thiolate, resulted in loss of ligand (dien) as well as zinc ejection and formation of species with only Pd(II) or Pt(II) bound to the finger. For both Au(III) compounds the reactions were very fast and only “gold fingers” with no ancillary ligands were observed. For all terpyridine compounds ligand scrambling and metal exchange occurred with formation of [Zn(terpy)]2+. The results conform well to those proposed from the study of model Zn compounds such as N,N′-bis(2-mercapto-ethyl)-1,4–diazacycloheptanezinc(II), [Zn(bme-dach)]2. The possible structures of the adducts formed are discussed and, for Pt(II) and Pd(II), the evidence for possible expansion of the zinc coordination sphere from four- to five-coordinate is discussed. This observation reinforces the possibility of change in geometry for zinc in biology, even in common “structural” sites in metalloenzymes. The results further show that the extent and rate of zinc displacement by inorganic compounds can be modulated by the nature (metal, ligands) of the reacting compound.