Ag(+)-mediated assembly of 5'-guanosine monophosphate.

Polymorphic forms of nucleic acids provide platforms for new nanomaterials, and transition metal cations give access to alternative arrangements of nucleobases by coordinating with electron-rich functional groups. Interaction of Ag(+) with 5'-guanosine monophosphate (5'-GMP) is considered in this work. Ag(+) promotes nucleotide stacking and aggregation, as indicated by the increased viscosity of 5'-GMP solutions with Ag(+), magnification of the circular dichroism response of guanine by Ag(+), and exothermic reactions between Ag(+) and guanine derivatives.