title: Intercalators: contra cruciform extrusion in DNA.
abstract: Although there is a wealth of structural and theoretical data relating to palindromic sequences in genomes, the mechanisms of extrusion of cruciform structures during various biological processes in the presence of intercalating agents are still poorly understood. The current study addresses the effects of temperature and intercalator on cruciform extrusion from plasmids and also considers the effects of divalent metal ions on cruciform extrusion. It presents evidence that the cytotoxic effects of certain DNA binding drugs in vivo occur over concentration ranges corresponding to those that modulate cruciform extrusion in vitro. The results confirm earlier studies showing an inverse relationship between the effects of negative superhelicity and temperature on cruciform extrusion. By extrapolation, divalent metal ions facilitate cruciform extrusion by increasing superhelicity. The results allow the concentrations that preclude cruciform extrusion in DNA to be determined, and these are potentially informative about the relationships among temperature, DNA helical winding, cruciform formation, and intercalation. Overall, we provide new and interesting insights into the potential role of cruciform structures in biology and, by implication, cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, P. J. Safárik University, 04011 Kosice, Slovakia. vviglasky@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Viglasky
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Danko
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D006801:Humans; D007364:Intercalating Agents / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002413:Cations, Divalent; D017931:DNA Primers; D007364:Intercalating Agents; D004247:DNA