Characterization of the bisintercalative DNA binding mode of a bifunctional platinum–acridine agent

The DNA interactions of PT-BIS(ACRAMTU) ([Pt(en)(ACRAMTU)(2)](NO(3))(4); ACRAMTU = 1-[2-(acridin-9-ylamino)ethyl]-1,3-dimethylthiourea, en = ethylenediamine), a bifunctional platinum–acridine conjugate, have been studied in native and synthetic double-stranded DNAs and model duplexes using various biophysical techniques. These include ethidium-DNA fluorescence quenching and thermal melting experiments, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and plasmid unwinding assays. In addition, the binding mode was studied in a short octamer by NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with molecular modeling. In alternating copolymers, PT-BIS(ACRAMTU) shows a distinct preference for poly(dA-dT)(2), which is ∼3-fold higher than that of ACRAMTU. In the ligand-oligomer complex, d(GCTATAGC)(2)·PT-BIS(ACRAMTU) (complex I*), PT-BIS(ACRAMTU) increases the thermal stability of the B-form host duplex by ΔT(m) > 30 K (CD and UV melting experiments). The agent unwinds pSP73 plasmid DNA by 44(±2)° per bound molecule, indicating bisintercalative binding. A 2-D NMR study unequivocally demonstrates that PT-BIS(ACRAMTU)'s chromophores deeply bisintercalate into the 5′-TA/TA base pair steps in I*, while the platinum linker lies in the minor groove. An AMBER model reflecting the NMR results shows that bracketing of the central AT base pairs in a classical nearest neighbor excluded fashion is feasible. PT-BIS(ACRAMTU) inhibits DNA hydrolysis by BstZ17 I at the enzyme's restriction site, GTA↓TAC. Possible consequences for other relevant DNA–protein interactions, such as those involved in TATA-box-mediated transcription initiation and the utility of the platinum-intercalator technology for the design of sequence-specific agents are discussed.