Recognition of guanines at a double helix–coil junction in DNA by a trinuclear copper complex

Coordination between guanine N7 and a trinuclear copper complex appears critical for selective and efficient strand scission of DNA at a helix–coil junction as indicated by the lack of reactivity of comparable DNA containing 7deazaguanine in place of guanine; both the base pair at the junction and coil flexibility also modulate the specificity of DNA oxidation.