Methylmercury(II) binding to single-stranded and duplex DNA: complexes formed are distinguishable by optical detection of magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Binding of CH3Hg(II) to duplex and single-stranded calf thymus DNA leads to an external heavy atom effect that is associated with the formation of complexes directly with the purine and pyrimidine bases. When CH3Hg(II) is added at a concentration insufficient to cause denaturation, clearly distinguishable optical detection of magnetic resonance spectra are observed from the duplex and single-stranded DNA complexes. Comparison of the dominant signals with those observed from CH3Hg(II) complexes of model mononucleotides and mononucleosides allows their identification as guanine complexed at N7 in the duplex sample and thymine complexed at N3 in the single-stranded sample. On the basis of these measurements, it is estimated that this experiment presently is capable of detecting about 2% single-stranded DNA in a sample made up predominantly after duplex structure.