title: DNA-binding of drugs used in medicinal therapies.
abstract: The interactions of various low-molecular weight substances with DNA are naturally relevant mechanisms in the cellular cycle and so also used in medicinal treatment. Depending on the particular drug structure, DNA-binding modes like groove-binding, intercalating and/or stacking, give rise to supramolecular assemblies of the polynucleotides, as well as influence the DNA-protein binding. In this review, we compare the underlying molecular structures, including general aspects of DNA sequences, with the benefit in medicinal treatment. While so far interest in this field had mainly been devoted to isolated nucleic acid/drug interactions, the present paper will focus on drug efficiencies generating and influencing supramolecular organizations and their complex sequence-dependent structure-activity codes. In particular, the attention will be directed to stereoelectronic relationships. Spatial enantioselective properties are discussed in details. As examples, the drug self-assemblies, as well as the influence of drugs on supramolecular DNA formations are described. A hypothetical connection between drug-influenced DNA-toroids and the formation of micronuclei in tissues will be interpreted.
authors.affiliation: Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Department of Biochemistry/Biotechnology, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany. bischoff@biochemtech.uni-halle.de
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bischoff
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D001667:Binding, Competitive; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D015195:Drug Design; D007364:Intercalating Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D007364:Intercalating Agents; D004247:DNA