Metallo-supramolecular cylinders and their peptide conjugates. Synthesis, dynamics and DNA recognition

摘要

The work described in this thesis focuses on two main topics: i) the study of the dynamic behaviour of metallo-supramolecular cylinders, that are known for their major groove DNA binding properties, and ii) the synthesis and DNA binding studies of the cylinders conjugated to short peptides and amino acids. In Chapter 1 an overview of the DNA molecular recognition by synthetic agents and biomolecules is presented, with a section dedicated to the selective recognition of DNA. In Chapter 2 the study of the dynamic behaviour of the Fe(II) supramolecular cylinder is explored. The behaviour of the complex at variable temperature conditions was analysed by NMR, UV-Vis and CD. Thermal experiments with the complex in the presence of DNA are also presented. In Chapter 3 a versatile procedure for the conjugation of short amino acids and peptides to Fe(II), Cu(I) and Ag(I) cylinders has been established and the influence of the attached peptides on the chirality of the resulting hybrids has been investigated. In Chapter 4 the DNA binding properties of the conjugated cylinders are explored by CD, LD and gel electrophoresis experiments and the cytotoxic activity of the Fe(II) conjugates against cancer cell lines was investigated by MTT tests.