title: Targeting the minor groove of DNA.
abstract: Small molecules that specifically bind with high affinity to any predetermined DNA sequence in the human genome will be useful tools in molecular biology and, potentially, in human medicine. Pairing rules have been developed to control rationally the sequence specificity of minor groove binding polyamides containing N-methylimidazole and N-methylpyrrole amino acids. Using simple molecular shapes and a two-letter aromatic amino acid code, pyrrole-imidazole polyamides achieve affinities and specificities comparable to DNA-binding proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley 94620-1460, USA. dewemmer@libl.gov
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Wemmer
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Dervan
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009757:Nylons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000737:chemistry; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D007093:Imidazoles; D008024:Ligands; D009757:Nylons; D011758:Pyrroles; C029899:imidazole; D004247:DNA