Metal Ion Interactions With DNA, RNA, and Nucleic Acid Enzymes

The interactions of metals with nucleic acids is a rich topic. Metal ions govern structure and function in both DNA and RNA. Nucleic acids are negatively charged biopolymers with variable structures and high densities of potential metal ligands. This review describes metal coordination in context of nucleic acid electrostatics, and then provides examples of metal sites in a variety of DNA and RNA structures including helices, quadruplexes, riboswitches, and nucleic acid enzymes with a focus on crystallographically characterized interactions. Group I and II cations as well as early and late transition metals are discussed.