Zn(II)ferrocenylthiosemicarbazones: DNA Binding and Nuclease Activity

Abstract

A series of Zn(II) ferrocenylthiosemicarbazones complexes derived from thiosemicarbazide and 4-methyl-, 4-ethyl-, and 4-phenyl-3-thiosemicarbazide were evaluated for their DNA binding propensity and chemical nuclease activity. The equilibrium binding constants, K _b, of the complexes for binding with calf thymus DNA (CT DNA) were in the range of 0.68 × 10³ to 2.8 × 10⁴ M⁻¹. The complexes do not intercalate into the nucleobases of CT DNA, as evident from viscosity measurements. They exhibit efficient nuclease activity in the absence of an activating agent and cleave supercoiled DNA into nicked and linear circular forms of DNA at very low concentrations.

Keywords:

• crystal structure
• DNA binding
• ferrocene
• nuclease activity
• Zn(II) complex

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education for financial support.