G-quadruplex fluorescence sensing by core-extended naphthalene diimides.

Background: Fluorescent sensing of G-quadruplex nucleic acids (G4s) is an effective strategy to elucidate their role in vitro and in vivo. Small molecule ligands have often been exploited, producing an emission light up upon binding. Naphthalene diimides (NDIs), although potent G4 binders exhibiting red-NIR fluorophores, have only been marginally exploited, as they are usually quenched upon binding.

Synthesis, Binding and Antiviral Properties of Potent Core-Extended Naphthalene Diimides Targeting the HIV-1 Long Terminal Repeat Promoter G-Quadruplexes.

We have previously reported that stabilization of the G-quadruplex structures in the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter suppresses viral transcription. Here we sought to develop new G-quadruplex ligands to be exploited as antiviral compounds by enhancing binding toward the viral G-quadruplex structures. We synthesized naphthalene diimide derivatives with a lateral expansion of the aromatic core.

Identification and characterization of genes involved in naphthalene degradation in Rhodococcus opacus R7.

Rhodococcus opacus R7 is a naphthalene-degrading microorganism which is also able to grow on o-xylene. This work describes the isolation and analysis of two new genomic regions in which genes involved in naphthalene (nar gene cluster) and salicylate (gen gene cluster) degradation are located. In the nar gene cluster we found: two genes encoding the large (narAa) and the small (narAb) components of the naphthalene dioxygenase, three genes (rub1, rub2, rub1bis) encoding three rubredoxins, an orf (orf7) associated to the complex encoding a protein of unknown function, two regulatory genes (narR1, narR2), a gene (narB) encoding the naphthalene dihydrodiol dehydrogenase and six orfs (orf1, orf2, orf3, orf4, orf5, orf6) encoding proteins of unknown function.

Expression of the PsMTA1 gene in white poplar engineered with the MAT system is associated with heavy metal tolerance and protection against 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine mediated-DNA damage.

Marker-free transgenic white poplar (Populus alba L., cv 'Villafranca') plants, expressing the PsMT (A1) gene from Pisum sativum for a metallothionein-like protein, were produced by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The 35SCaMV-PsMT (A1)-NosT cassette was inserted into the ipt-type vector pMAT22.