Pritha Basu

The benzophenanthridine alkaloid chelerythrine binds to DNA by intercalation: Photophysical aspects and thermodynamic results of iminium versus alkanolamine interaction

The interaction of the natural benzophenanthridine alkaloid chelerythrine with DNA was studied by spectroscopy, viscometry and calorimetry techniques. The absorbance and fluorescence properties of the alkaloid were remarkably modified upon binding to DNA and the interaction was found to be cooperative. The mode of binding was principally by intercalation as revealed from viscosity studies and supported from fluorescence quenching, and polarization results. The binding remarkably stabilized the DNA structure against thermal strand separation. The binding induced conformational changes in the B-form structure of the DNA and the bound alkaloid molecule acquired induced circular dichroism. The binding affinity values obtained from spectroscopy, fluorescence polarization (and anisotropy) and calorimetry were in agreement with each other. The binding was exothermic, characterized by negative enthalpy and positive entropy change and exhibited enthalpy-entropy compensation phenomenon. The heat capacity changes of the binding revealed hydrophobic contribution to the binding. Molecular aspects of the interaction characterized by the involvement of multiple weak noncovalent forces are presented.

Elucidation of the DNA binding specificity of the natural plant alkaloid chelerythrine: a biophysical approach.

Interaction of the anticancer plant alkaloid chelerythrine with four sequence specific synthetic polynucleotides was studied by spectroscopy and calorimetry experiments. The binding resulted in strong hypochromic and bathochromic effects in the absorption spectrum of the alkaloid, enhancement in the fluorescence with the AT polynucleotides and the homo-GC polynucleotide and quenching with the hetero-GC polynucleotide. Cooperative binding was observed with all the polynucleotides. Fluorescence polarization anisotropy, iodide quenching and viscosity results confirmed intercalative binding of the alkaloid. The binding resulted in the thermal stabilization of the polynucleotides and moderate perturbations in the B-conformation of the DNA. The high binding affinity values (∼10(6) M(-1)) evaluated from the spectroscopic data was in excellent agreement with those obtained from calorimetry. The binding was exothermic and favoured by negative standard molar enthalpy and positive standard molar entropic contributions in all cases other than homo-AT polynucleotide, where it was endothermic and entropy driven. Salt-dependent calorimetry data revealed that the binding reaction was driven mostly by non-polyelectrolytic forces. The magnitude of the negative heat capacity values confirmed the role of significant hydrophobic effects in the interaction profile of the alkaloid with the polynucleotides. The results revealed the specificity of chelerythrine to follow homo-GC>hetero-GC>hetero-AT=homo-AT polynucleotide.

Structural and thermodynamic basis of interaction of the putative anticancer agent chelerythrine with single, double and triple-stranded RNAs

A comparative study on the interaction of the natural plant alkaloid chelerythrine with triple helical poly(U)·poly(A)*poly(U), double helical poly(A)·poly(U) and single stranded poly(U) (the dot and star representing the Watson-Crick and Hoogsteen base pairing) has been performed using various biophysical and thermodynamic techniques. Chelerythrine binds to the duplex and triplexes in a cooperative manner with affinity of the order of 106 M−1. A weaker binding (∼105 M−1) in a non-cooperative mode occurred with poly(U). Chelerythrine is more selective towards RNA triplex than its parent duplex. The triplex was stabilized specifically without affecting the stability of the duplex. Fluorescence quenching, fluorescence polarization and energy transfer from the nucleotides to the alkaloid, and viscosity results gave convincing evidence for a true intercalative binding of chelerythrine to the triplex and the duplex structures, and partial base stacking with poly(U). The conformations of both double and triple helices were perturbed on binding but no effect occurred to the single strand structure. The binding of the alkaloid to all three RNA helices was found to be exothermic; to the triplex it was entropy driven with favorable enthalpy change, to the duplex enthalpy driven and to the single strand it was enthalpy driven. These results provide new knowledge on the mode, mechanism and specificity, and energetics of binding of the natural alkaloid and putative anticancer agent chelerythrine to different RNA conformations.

Structural and thermodynamic analysis of the binding of tRNAphe by the putative anticancer alkaloid chelerythrine: Spectroscopy, calorimetry and molecular docking studies

The interaction of the putative anticancer alkaloid chelerythrine with tRNA(phe) was characterized by spectroscopy, calorimetry and molecular docking studies. The charged iminium form of chelerythrine binds with tRNA(phe) in a cooperative mode with a binding affinity value of (4.06±0.01)×10(5)M(-1). The neutral alkanolamine form does not bind to tRNA(phe) but in the presence of high concentration of tRNA(phe) this form gets converted to the iminium form and then binds with tRNA(phe). The partial intercalative mode of binding of chelerythrine to the tRNA(phe) was characterized from the steady state anisotropy, iodide ion-induced fluorescence quenching and viscosity measurements. Chelerythrine binding induced conformational perturbations in tRNA(phe) as observed from the circular dichroism spectroscopy. The strong binding was also supported by the ethidium bromide displacement assay. The binding was favoured by both enthalpy and entropy contributions. Although the binding was dependent on the [Na(+)], non-electrostatic forces contributed predominantly to the Gibbs energy change. The negative value of the heat capacity change proposed the involvement of hydrophobic forces in the binding. Molecular docking study was carried out to decipher the details of the recognition of tRNA(phe) by chelerythrine. The study provided insights about the chelerythrine binding pockets on tRNA(phe) and marked the necessary interactions for binding of chelerythrine molecule. Partially intercalative mode of the alkaloid binding was supported by docking studies. In total, docking studies corroborated well with our experiential observations. The structural and thermodynamic results of chelerythrine binding to tRNA(phe) may be helpful to develop new RNA therapeutic agents.

A comparative study on the interaction of the putative anticancer alkaloids, sanguinarine and chelerythrine, with single- and double-stranded, and heat-denatured DNAs

A detailed investigation on the interaction of two benzophenanthridine alkaloids, sanguinarine (SGR) and chelerythrine (CHL), with the double-stranded (ds), heat-denatured (hd), and single-stranded (ss) DNA was performed by spectroscopy and calorimetry techniques. Binding to the three DNA conformations leads to quenching of fluorescence of SGR and enhancement in the fluorescence of CHL. The binding was cooperative for both of the alkaloids with all the three DNA conformations. The binding constant values of both alkaloids with the ds DNA were in the order of 106 M−1; binding was weak with hd and much weaker to the ss DNA. The fluorescence emission of the alkaloid molecules bound to the ds and hd DNAs was quenched much less compared to those bound to the ss DNA based on competition with the anionic quencher KI. For both double stranded and heat denatured structures the emission of the bound alkaloid molecules was polarized significantly and strong energy transfer from the DNA bases to the alkaloid molecules occurred. Intercalation of SGR and CHL to ds, hd, and ss DNA was proved from these fluorescence results. Calorimetric studies suggested that the binding to all DNA conformations was both enthalpy and entropy favored. Both the alkaloids preferred double-helical regions for binding, but SGR was a stronger binder than CHL to all the three DNA structures.

Small molecule–RNA recognition: Binding of the benzophenanthridine alkaloids sanguinarine and chelerythrine to single stranded polyribonucleotides

Single stranded RNAs are biologically potent as they participate in various key cellular processes. The binding efficacy of two potent anticancer alkaloids, sanguinarine (here after SANG) and chelerythrine (here after CHEL), with single-stranded ribonucleic acids poly(rI), poly(rG), and poly(rC) were studied using spectroscopic and thermodynamic tools. Results reveal that both SANG and CHEL binds well with single stranded RNAs with affinity in the order poly(rI)>poly(rG)>poly(rC). CHEL showed slightly higher affinity compared to SANG with all the single stranded RNAs. Both SANG and CHEL showed association affinity of the lower 106 order with poly(rI), higher 105 order binding with poly(rG) and lower 105 order with poly(rC). The binding mode was partial intercalation due to the staking interaction between the bases and the alkaloids. The complexation of both the SANG and CHEL to the RNAs were mainly enthalpy driven and also favoured by entropy changes. Perturbation was observed in the RNA conformation due to binding of the alkaloids. In this present study we have deciphered the fundamental structural and calorimetric aspects of the interaction of the natural benzophenanthridine alkaloids with single stranded RNAs and these results may help to develop new generation alkaloid based therapeutics targeting single stranded RNAs.

CCDC 912687: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination

Related Article: Jnan Prakash Naskar, Bhargab Guhathakurta, Pritha Basu, Nirmalya Bandyopadhyay, Gopinatha Suresh Kumar, Miaoli Zhu, Liping Lu|2017|Inorg.Chim.Acta|462|158|doi:10.1016/j.ica.2017.03.025