title: Sequence preference of chloroquine binding to DNA and prevention of Z-DNA formation.
abstract: Chloroquine is a critically important antimalarial drug and a well known intercalator into DNA. We now show that chloroquine binds more avidly to poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) than to other synthetic polynucleotides and that this binding inhibits both salt- and cobalt-induced transitions to Z-DNA. These data are consistent with the possibility that chloroquine's toxicity to malarial parasites is mediated by its effect on DNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, City University of New York Medical School, City College, NY 10031.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kwakye-Berko
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Meshnick
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D011089:Polydeoxyribonucleotides / Q000378:metabolism*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011089:Polydeoxyribonucleotides; C019530:poly(dC-dG); D012965:Sodium Chloride; D002738:Chloroquine; D004247:DNA