Nucleic acid binding in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity studies of betacarboline alkaloids

Abstract

Nucleic acids: Nucleic acids are essential biopolymers, present in entire forms of life. They are made up of nucleotides which are newlinemonomers of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. When the sugar is a ribose molecule the polymer is newlineRNA (ribonucleic acid) and when the sugar a derived deoxyribose molecule the polymer is DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). All newlinetypes of nucleic acid compounds are used as research tools for the rising ground of gene therapy and the molecular medicine. newlineDNA model proposed by Watson and Crick is actually duplex polynucleotide chains coiled around a central axis, while the chains newlinerunning in opposite directions. The purine and pyrimidine bases are stacked in inside of the helix and the phosphate and deoxyribose newlinesugars are on the outside of it. In addition to this conventional Watson and Crick double stranded B-DNA structure, there are many newlineother types of DNA exist, like A-DNA, Z-DNA, C-DNA, D-DNA etc. In addition to these, various RNAs of different structural newlineconformations, like mRNA, single stranded poly (A), clover leaf tRNA, double stranded poly(C).poly(G), hairpin loop structures, newlineare also reported. Interaction of small molecules to nucleic acid: Small molecules that can bind to nucleic acid, exhibit a myriad of biological activities, of which the most important is its anti-cancerous property. So, it is important to understand the binding of small molecules to nucleic acids of various conformations, apart from their in vitro and in vivo study which is an active area of research in biology. newlineImportance of beta-carboline alkaloids: Beta-carboline alkaloids consist of various groups of natural aromatic alkaloids newlinecontaining a basic tricyclic pyrido indole ring structure. In the Middle East and North Africa, after isolating these alkaloids from newlinePeganum harmala (family-Zygophillaceae) and Banisteriopsis caapi (family-Malpighiaceae) a traditional herbal drug is newlineprepared. Beta-carboline alkaloids are also found in many marine invertebrates.