Interaction of tRNA with antitumor polyamine analogues.

We studied the interaction between tRNA and three polyamine analogues (1,11-diamino-4,8-diazaundecane.4HCl (333), 3,7,11,15-tetrazaheptadecane.4HCl (BE-333), and 3,7,11,15,19-pentazahenicosane.5HCl (BE-3333)) using FTIR, UV-visible, and CD spectroscopic methods. Spectroscopic evidence showed that polyamine analogues bound tRNA via guanine N7, adenine, uracil O2, and the backbone phosphate (PO2-) groups, while the most reactive sites for biogenic polyamines were guanine N7/O6, adenine N7, uracil O2, and sugar 2'-OH groups as well as the backbone phosphate group. The binding constants of polyamine analogue-tRNA recognition were lower than those of the biogenic polyamine-tRNA complexes, with K333 = 2.8 (+/-0.5) x 10(4), K(BE-333) = 3.7 (+/-0.7) x 10(4), K(BE-3333) = 4.0 (+/-0.9) x 10(4), K(spm) = 8.7 (+/-0.9) x 10(5), K(spd) = 6.1 (+/-0.7) x 10(5), and K(put) = 1.0 (+/-0.3) x 10(5) mol/L. tRNA remained in the A-family conformation; however, it aggregated at high polyamine analogue concentrations.

Binding of oxovanadium ions to the major and minor grooves of DNA duplex: stability and structural models.

Vanadate induces DNA strand breaks in cultured human fibroblasts at doses that are relative to the occupational exposure. Oxovanadium compounds also exert preventive effects against chemical carcinogenesis in animals and form complexes with DNA in vivo. This study was designed to examine the interaction of calf-thymus DNA with VO2+ and VO3 ions in aqueous solution at physiological pH, with a constant DNA concentration of 12.5 mmol/L and vanadium-DNA (phosphate) molar ratios (r) of 1:160 to 1:2. Capillary electrophoresis and Fourier transform infrared difference spectroscopy were used to determine the cation binding site, the binding constant, the helix stability, and DNA conformation in the oxovanadium-DNA complexes. Structural analysis showed that VO2+ binds DNA through guanine and adenine N-7 atoms and the backbone PO2 group with apparent binding constants of KG = 8.8 x 10(5) (mol/L)-1 and KA = 3.4 x 10(5) (mol/L)-1. The VO3 shows weaker binding through thymine, adenine, and guanine bases, with K = 1.9 x 10(4) (mol/L)-1 and no interaction with the backbone phosphate group. A partial B-to-A DNA transition occurred upon VO-DNA complexation, while DNA remains in the B-family structure in the VO3 complexes.

The effects of drug complexation on the stability and conformation of human serum albumin: protein unfolding.

We report different analytical methods used to study the effects of 3\'-azido-3\'-deoxythymidine, aspirin, taxol, cisplatin, atrazine, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic, biogenic polyamines, chlorophyll, chlorophyllin, poly(ethylene glycol), vanadyl cation, vanadate anion, cobalt-hexamine cation, and As2O3, on the stability and secondary structure of human serum albumin (HSA) in aqueous solution, using capillary electrophoresis, Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet visible, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic methods. The concentrations of HSA used were 4% to 2% or 0.6 to 0.3 mM, while different ligand concentrations were 1 microM to 1 mM. Structural data showed drugs are mostly located along the polypeptide chains with both specific and nonspecific interactions. The stability of drug-protein complexes were in the order K(VO(2+)) 1.2 x 10(8) M(-1) > K(AZT) 1.9 x 10(6) M(-)1 > K(PEG) 4.1 x 10(5) M(-1) > K(atrazine) 3.5 x 10(4) M(-1) > K(chlorophyll) 2.9 x 10(4) M(-1) > K2,4-D 2.5 x 10(4) M-1 > K(spermine) 1.7 x 10(4) M(-1) > K(taxol) 1.43 x 10(4) M(-1) > K(Co(3+)) > 1.1 x 10(4) M(-1) > K(aspirin) 1.04 x 10(4)i(-1) > K(chlorophyllin) 7.0 x 10(3) M(-1) > K(VO(3)(-)) 6.0 x 103 M(-1) > K(spermidine) 5.4 x 10(3) M(-1) > K(putrescine) 3.9 x 10(3) M(-1) > K(As(2)O(3)) 2.2 x 10(3) M(-1)> K(cisplatin) 1.2 x 10(2) M(-1). The protein conformation was altered (infrared and CD results) with major reduction of alpha-helix from 60 to 55% (free HSA) to 49 to 40% and increase of beta-structure from 22 to 15% (free HSA) to 33 to 23% in the drug-protein complexes. The alterations of protein secondary structure are attributed to a partial unfolding of HSA on drug complexation.

AZT binding to Na,K-ATPase.

3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) is the first effective drug used clinically for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The drug interactions with DNA and protein are associated with its mechanism of action in vivo. This study was designed to examine the interaction of AZT with the Na,K-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (Na,K-ATPase) in H2O and D2O solutions at physiological pH using drug concentration of 0.1 microM to 1 mM and final protein concentration of 0.5 to 1 mg/mL. Ultraviolet absorption and Fourier transform infrared difference spectroscopy with its self-deconvolution, second-derivative resolution enhancement, and curve-fitting procedures were used to characterize the drug-binding mode, the drug-binding constant, and the effects of drug interaction on the protein secondary structure. Spectroscopic evidence showed that at low drug concentration (0.1 microM), AZT binds (H-bonding) mainly to the polypeptide C=O and C-N groups with two binding constants of K1 = 5.3 x 10(5) M(-1) and K2 = 9.8 x 10(3) M(-1). As drug content increased, AZT-lipid complex prevailed. At a high drug concentration (1 mM), drug binding resulted in minor protein secondary structural changes from that of the alpha-helix 19.8%; beta-pleated 25.6%; turn 9.1%; beta-antiparallel 7.5% and random 38%, in the free Na,K-ATPase to that of the alpha-helix 19%; beta-pleated 21.1%; turn 10.1%; beta-antiparallel 8.8% and random 41%, in the AZT-ATPase complexes.