Deciphering the sensing of α-amyrin acetate with hs-DNA: a multipronged biological probe.

In this study, we focus on the biomimetic development of small molecules and their biological sensing with DNA. The binding of herring sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (hs-DNA) with naturally occurring bioactive small molecule α-amyrin acetate (α-AA), a biomimetic - isolated from the leaves of () is investigated. Collective information from various imaging, spectroscopic and biophysical experiments provides evidence that α-AA is a minor groove sensor of hs-DNA and preferentially binds to the A-T-rich regions.