Selective binding of small molecules to DNA: Application and perspectives

More and more researchers are interested in DNA binders with sequence selectivity which may be developed to potential drugs. In this paper, we mainly review the compounds that selectively bind to special bases or sequences such as AT and GC-rich sequences. The selective binding of them to DNA sequences could affect the interactions of transcription factors with their target sequences in DNA. Furthermore, the design and effectiveness of sequence-selective DNA binding drugs are discussed. At last we put forward the some current challenges and solution in developing targeting anticancer drugs binding to specific oncogene. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.