Novel class of DNA binding motifs based on bistetrahydrofuran and bisfuran skeleton with long alkyl chains

Medicinal chemistry of Annonaceous acetogenins: design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel analogues

Most Annonaceous acetogenins are characterized by between one and three THF ring(s) with one or two flanking hydroxyl group(s) in the center of a C32/34 fatty acid, and the terminal carboxylic acid is combined with a 2-propanol unit to form an alpha,beta-unsaturated gamma-lactone. While many studies have addressed the properties and synthesis of natural acetogenins due to their attractive biological activities and unique structural features, a number of analogues have also been described. This review covers the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of acetogenin analogues.

New DNA binding ligands as a model of chromomycin A3

Small molecules with DNA-binding affinity within the minor groove have become of great interest. In this study, new DNA-binding ligands were designed to mimic Chromomycin A(3) (CRA(3)), which contains a hydroxylated tetrahydroanthracene chromophore substituted with di and trisaccharides. The trisaccharide part of CRA(3) that is supposed to contribute to form the Mg(2+)-coordinated dimer was expected to be mimicked by a simple alkyl group attached to the chromophore part as new model compounds. The present study has successfully demonstrated that the new ligands form Mg(2+)-coordinated dimer complexes to exhibit DNA-binding affinity.