Guanine-cytosine rich regions of plasmid DNA can be the target in anti-plasmid effect of phenothiazines

Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2000 Apr;14(3):243-7. doi: 10.1016/s0924-8579(00)00130-8.

Abstract

The antiplasmid effects of promethazine on E. coli is the consequence of special complex formed with a covalently closed circular (ccc) form of plasmid DNA. The exact target in this macromolecule, however, was not clarified until recently. Caffeine and the chemically similar guanosine-5'- monophosphate (GMP) could compete with the antiplasmid effect of promethazine, showing that promethazine or other phenothiazines preferentially bind to xanthine type molecules. Among the xanthines, GMP was more effective at complex-forming than adenosine-5'-monophosphate (AMP). In addition, the Z-DNA was more susceptible than B-DNA. Therefore, one could suppose that guanine-cytosine (G-C) rich regions have higher affinity than adenine-thymine (A-T) rich region on phenothiazines. Because the G-C rich regions have a special role in the DNA stability via three hydrogen bonds, we suppose that these regions could have a key role in some biological effects such as antiplasmid and anticancer activity.

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Caffeine / pharmacology
  • Cytosine / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Escherichia coli / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Guanine / chemistry
  • Guanosine Monophosphate / pharmacology
  • Phenothiazines / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Phenothiazines / metabolism
  • Phenothiazines / pharmacology*
  • Plasmids / drug effects*
  • Xanthine / chemistry

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Phenothiazines
  • Xanthine
  • Caffeine
  • Guanine
  • Guanosine Monophosphate
  • Cytosine