Publications by authors named "Joseph Toporowski"

The introduction of an aryl ring onto the 4-position of the C-6 benzyl amino group of the Cdk inhibitor roscovitine (2), maintained the potent Cdk inhibition demonstrated by roscovitine (2) as well as greatly improving the antiproliferative activity. A series of C-6 biarylmethylamino derivatives was prepared addressing modifications on the C-6 biaryl rings, N-9 and C-2 positions to provide compounds that displayed potent cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines. In particular, derivative 21h demonstrated a >750-fold improvement in the growth inhibition of HeLa cells compared to roscovitine (2).

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Molecular dynamics has been employed to analyze the counterion and water atmospheres around the deoxynucleic guanidine (DNG) duplex G(12)-C(12). These features are compared to those of DNA G(12)-C(12). The chloride counterions of cationic DNG demonstrate fewer penetrations and only fleeting residence times in the minor groove, as opposed to the multi-nanosecond visits seen by sodium ions in DNA minor grooves.

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Replacement of the phosphodiester linkages of DNA and RNA by guanidinium linkages provides DNG and RNG. We report here the order of stability of mixed duplexes (RNG-U5.DNA-A5>>RNA-U5.

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Chiral hairpin polyamides linked to a Hoechst 33258 analogue at the alpha-position of the hairpin turn amino acid (1,2) were synthesized on solid phase by adopting Fmoc and ivDde techniques. The DNA-binding properties of enantiomeric conjugates 1 and 2, and N-terminal linked conjugate 3 for 8-14bp sequences were determined by spectrofluorometric and thermal melting studies. Conjugates 1 and 2 recognize a 10bp sequence, while conjugate 3 recognizes a 9bp sequence.

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Molecular dynamics is used to investigate the structural properties of the cationic DNA analogue deoxynucleic guanidine (DNG), in which a guanidinium group replaces the phosphate moiety of DNA. This study examines the DNG duplex dodecamers d(Ag)(12).d(Tg)(12) and d(Gg)(12).

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