title: Some properties of new DNA-specific bisbenzimidazole fluorochromes without a piperazine ring.
abstract: Three new bisbenzimidazole (BBI) compounds, which differ from Hoechst 33258 mainly by substitution of a N-dimethylaminopropylcarboxamide group in place of the N-methylpiperazine ring, were studied for their DNA- and AT-base pair specificity as well as for their ability to be quenched by incorporated 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). Each of them had DNA binding specificity comparable to or greater than that of Hoechst 33258 and each had a greater specificity for AT-rich regions than did Hoechst 33258. The dependence of fluorescence of new dyes on the BrdU-incorporation into DNA is different from that of Hoechst 33258 and related compounds with piperazine ring. The quenching effect is much weaker, and two of the new compounds (BBI-1 and BBI-2) even show somewhat enhanced binding (fluorescence) at lower concentrations. Certain BBI dyes without piperazine ring may have some advantage over Hoechst for accurate DNA (AT-specific) measurements. The piperazine ring appears to play an important role in the yet unknown mechanism of Hoechst quenching by incorporated BrdU.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Vinogradov
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rosanov
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006690:Bisbenzimidazole; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D051379:Mice; D010879:Piperazines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011789:Quantum Theory; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013941:Thymine / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001562:Benzimidazoles; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D010879:Piperazines; D004247:DNA; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D000225:Adenine; D006690:Bisbenzimidazole; D013941:Thymine