The bis-intercalator ditercalinium (NSC 366241), composed of two 7 H-pyridocarbazoles linked by a bis(ethylpiperidinium), binds to DNA with a binding constant greater than 10(7) M-1. One distinctive aspect of the 3-D X-ray structure of a DNA-ditercalinium complex is its asymmetry. We propose here that the activity of ditercalinium may be related to structural polymorphism and dynamic conversion...

A novel class of DNA cleavage agents are reported that derive activity from amino acids tethered to a photoactive intercalator.

The free radical scavengers, dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) and thiourea, were used to assess the role of free radicals in the production of intercalator-induced DNA breaks and cytotoxicity in mouse leukemia L1210 cells. Both agents decreased X-ray break production, and this decrease was comparable in magnitude to the degree of inhibition of X-ray-induced cell killing. By contrast, Me2SO increased ...

The synthesis and triplex stabilizing properties of oligodeoxyribonucleotides functionalized at the 5'- and/or 3'-termini with a naphthalene diimide-based (NDI) intercalator is described. The NDI intercalator was prepared in a single step from the corresponding dianhydride and was attached to the 5'-terminus of an oligodeoxyribonucleotide following a reverse coupling procedure. The DMT protecti...

A new class of modified oligonucleotides (combination probes) has been designed and synthesised for use in genetic analysis and RNA detection. Their chemical structure combines an intercalating anchor with a reporter fluorophore on the same thymine nucleobase. The intercalator (thiazole orange or benzothiazole orange) provides an anchor, which upon hybridisation of the probe to its target becom...

Homogeneous oligodeoxyguanylates incorporating small-molecule intercalator pyrene moieties in a 1,5 relationship form various structures of dimer, trimer, tetramer and internal hairpin form that are yellowish in color because of the intermolecular interactions between the pyrene units.

Combining a DNA intercalator, SYBR Green I, and enzyme-linkage reactions with carbon nanoparticles, a low-background biosensing platform for label-free and sensitive fluorescent assay of DNA methylation is reported.