Vázquez O, Blanco-Canosa JB, Vázquez ME, Martínez-Costas J, Castedo L, Mascareñas JL. Efficient DNA binding and nuclear uptake by distamycin derivatives conjugated to octa-arginine sequences.
Chembiochem 2009;
9:2822-9. [PMID:
18942688 DOI:
10.1002/cbic.200800345]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Efficient targeting of DNA by designed molecules requires not only careful fine-tuning of their DNA-recognition properties, but also appropriate cell internalization of the compounds so that they can reach the cell nucleus in a short period of time. Previous observations in our group on the relatively high affinity displayed by conjugates between distamycin derivatives and bZIP basic regions for A-rich DNA sites, led us to investigate whether the covalent attachment of a positively charged cell-penetrating peptide to a distamycin-like tripyrrole might yield high affinity DNA binders with improved cell internalization properties. Our work has led to the discovery of synthetic tripyrrole-octa-arginine conjugates that are capable of targeting specific DNA sites that contain A-rich tracts with low nanomolar affinity; they simultaneously exhibit excellent membrane and nuclear translocation properties in living HeLa cells.
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