A luminescent beta-cyclodextrin-based Ru(phen)3 complex as DNA compactor, enzyme inhibitor, and translocation tracer.

A beta-cyclodextrin-based Ru(phen)(3) complex (1) has been synthesized and exhibits good luminescent behavior. Atomic force microscopic and scanning electron microscopic studies show that 1 can induce the aggregation of originally circular DNA to toroidal or spherical shapes. The morphology of these DNA aggregates changes following a pathway of naked circular DNA --> toroid with gaps --> solid toroid --> spherical aggregate, depending on the different 1/DNA (w/w) ratios, and their average diameters vary from the nanometer to micrometer scale. Owing to its capability of inducing the aggregation of DNA, 1 can be used as an inhibitor for DNA topoisomerase and DNA cleavage enzymes. Further studies by means of fluorescence microscopy indicate that 1 can also efficiently trace the translocation of DNA into 293T cells (the human embryonic kidney cell line). These observations consequently establish 1 as not only a potential DNA carrier but also a fluorescent DNA probe.