Heavy metal mutagenicity: insights from bioinorganic model chemistry.

The mutagenicity of metal species may be the result of a direct interaction with the target molecule DNA. Possible scenarios leading to nucleobase mispairing are discussed, and selected examples are presented. They include changes in nucleobase selectivity as a consequence of alterations in acid-base properties of nucleobase atoms and groups involved in complementary H bond formation, guanine deprotonation, and stabilization of rare nucleobase tautomers by metal ions. Oxidative nucleobase damage brought about by metal species will not be considered.