Metalloregulation in the sequence specific binding of synthetic molecules to DNA

Specific metal cations exert remarkable effects on the transcription of several prokaryotic and eukaryotic genes. Recently, the DNA-binding eukaryotic transcription factor TFIIIA has been characterized as a series of peptide fingers connected by zinc-binding domains. These observations raise the issue of whether the binding of synthetic molecules to DNA could in some way be regulated by the addition of specific metal ions.