Design and synthesis of unsymmetric macrocyclic hexaoxazole compounds with an ability to induce distinct G-quadruplex topologies in telomeric DNA

Org Biomol Chem. 2016 Jun 14;14(22):5109-16. doi: 10.1039/c6ob00437g. Epub 2016 May 16.

Abstract

New macrocyclic hexaoxazole compounds bearing two side chains on an unsymmetrical macrocyclic ring system, i.e., 4,2-L2H2-6OTD (2) and 5,1-L2H2-6OTD (3), were designed as candidate G-quadruplex (G4) ligands and synthesized. These G4 ligands 2 and 3 induced an anti-parallel topology and a hybrid-type topology of telomeric DNA, respectively, in contrast to the previously reported symmetrical macrocycle 3,3-L2H2-6OTD (1), which induces a typical anti-parallel structure. Molecular mechanics calculations and docking studies indicate that these differences arise from the different directions of the side chains in these L2H2-6OTD derivatives, and provide an explanation for the weaker stabilization of telomeric DNA by 2 and 3, compared with 1.

MeSH terms

  • Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Drug Design*
  • G-Quadruplexes / drug effects*
  • Macrocyclic Compounds / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Oxazoles / chemical synthesis*
  • Oxazoles / chemistry
  • Oxazoles / pharmacology*
  • Telomere*

Substances

  • Macrocyclic Compounds
  • Oxazoles
  • DNA