Stabilization of fluorescent silver clusters by RNA homopolymers and their DNA analogs: C,G versus A,T(U) dichotomy

Single-stranded RNAs host fluorescent silver nanoclusters, analogous to previously studied Ag: DNAs. C and G homopolymers stabilize visible-to IR-emitting silver complexes at neutral pH in both RNA and DNA, but A and T/U do not. Cluster fluorescence is sensitive to sugar as well as base type.