title: Atomic force microscopy study of DNA conformation in the presence of drugs.
abstract: Binding of ligands to DNA gives rise to several relevant biological and biomedical effects. Here, through the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM), we studied the consequences of drug binding on the morphology of single DNA molecules. In particular, we quantitatively analyzed the effects of three different DNA-binding molecules (doxorubicin, ethidium bromide, and netropsin) that exert various pharmacologic and therapeutic effects. The results of this study show the consequences of intercalation and groove molecular binding on DNA conformation. These single-molecule measurements demonstrate morphological features that reflect the specific modes of drug-DNA interaction. This experimental approach may have implications in the design of therapeutically effective agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20052, Monza, Milan, Italy. valeria.cassina@unimib.it
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cassina
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seruggia
authors.forename: Giovanni Luca
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Beretta
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Salerno
authors.forename: Doriano
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brogioli
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manzini
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zunino
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mantegazza
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004996:Ethidium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007364:Intercalating Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008024:Ligands; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods; D009429:Netropsin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D007364:Intercalating Agents; D008024:Ligands; D009429:Netropsin; D004317:Doxorubicin; D004247:DNA; D004996:Ethidium