Ph.D., Princeton University

Inorganic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biophysics

Our recent research efforts have been directed toward the study of tris-chelates of ruthenium(II) with bis-diimine ligands which induce binding to DNA via an intercalative mode of interaction in which the chelated ligand interleaves between adjacent base pairs within the double helical structure of the DNA. This has been a collaborative effort with Dr. Dave Baker and his research group of our department. The figure below shows one such complex, with the intercalative ligand ppz directed toward the viewer.

"Inducement of Y-DNA Circular Dichroism Signals for Duplex Deoxyribonucleotide Homopolymers by Poly-cationic Strings," Thomas C. Strekas,* Robert Engel, Kishore Locknauth, JaimeLee Cohen and Jeanne Fabian, Archives of Biochem. Biophys. 364, 129-131. (1999)

R. Engel, V. Schevchenko, S. Lall, B. Tropp, N. Lau and T. Strekas, "Synthesis and Biological Activities of Phosphorous-Containing Polycationic Strings, " Phosphorous and Sulfur (in press). (1999)

J.I Cohen, A. Rusinowski, T.C. Strekas and R. Engel, "Polycations. 6. Polycationic Heterocyclic Salts: Their Synthesis and Effect on Double-Stranded DNA," Heteroatom Chemistry 10, 559-565. (1999)

Strekas, T.C.; Baker, A.D.; Zaltsman, L.; Wang, S. "Salt Dependence of binding of D- and L-Ru(2,2'-bipyridine)2ppz(+2) and a Chiragen Analog with Calf Thymus DNA: Unpredictability of Enantioselective Binding to DNA" J. Coord. Chem. 39, 281-291. (1997)

Strekas, T.C.; Baker, A.D. and Harripersad-Morgan, O. "Characterization of Copper(I) and Copper(II) Complexes of a Bis-diimine Coordinated to Ruthenium(II) and Their Interaction With Calf Thymus DNA." J. Coord. Chem. 34, 77-85. (1995)

Tysoe, S.A., Morgan, R.J., Baker, T.C. and Strekas, T.C. "Spectroscopic Investigation of Differential Binding Modes of Delta and Lambda-Ru(bpy)2ppz (2+) with Calf Thymus DNA." J. Phys. Chem. 97, 1707-1711. (1993)

Baker, A.D., Morgan, R.J. and Strekas, T.C. "Enantiospecific Cleavage of DNA Using Copper(II) Chelated to the Periphery of a Ligand on a Chiral Tris-Chelate of Ruthenium(II)" J. Chem. Soc. CHEM. COMM. 1992, 1099-1100.

Baker, A.D.; Morgan, R.J.; Strekas, T.C. "Enantiomeric Resolution of Ru(phen)3 (2+) and Ru(bpy)2ppz (2+) on a DNA-Hydroxyapatite Column," J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 113, 1411. (1991)

Morgan, R.J.; Chatterjee, S.; Baker, A.D.; Strekas, T.C. "Effects of Ligand Planarity and Peripheral Charge on Intercalative Binding of Ru(2,2'-bipyridine)2L (2+) to Calf Thymus DNA," Inorg. Chem. 30, 2687. (1991)