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Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Facile Protocol for the Synthesis of Self-assembling Polyamine-based Peptide Amphiphiles (PPAs) and Related Biomaterials
Published on: June 25, 2018
Synthesis, DNA binding and cleavage activity of macrocyclic polyamines bearing mono- or bis-acridine moieties
Qiang Liu1, Ji Zhang, Ming-Qi Wang
1Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
Abstract:
Two acridine-pendant cyclen (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane) derivatives 1 and 2 were synthesized, and their DNA interactions have been systematically investigated by UV absorption, fluorescence titration, viscosity measurement, DNA melting and gel electrophoresis experiments. The results showed that acridine-cyclen derivatives could bind to DNA in intercalative mode, and bis-acridine 2 has higher DNA binding ability than that of mono-acridine 1. Moreover, both compounds exhibited preferential interactions with G-rich DNA sequences. Their copper(II) complexes could cleave DNA without the existence of other additives under physiological conditions through an oxidative pathway.
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