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Theoretical prediction of size‐expansion effect on the C8‐site activity in the modified guanine‐cytosine analogs
Author(s) -
Li Huifang,
Zhang Laibin,
Han Li,
Cukier Robert I.,
Bu Yuxiang
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of physical organic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.325
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1099-1395
pISSN - 0894-3230
DOI - 10.1002/poc.1568
Subject(s) - chemistry , antiaromaticity , aromaticity , delocalized electron , ring (chemistry) , nucleobase , deprotonation , density functional theory , computational chemistry , crystallography , stereochemistry , dna , molecule , organic chemistry , ion , biochemistry
Homo/hetero ring‐expanded DNA analogs have been shown to be rationally modified DNA motifs with improved physical or biological properties. In this work, using density functional theory, the stability of these artificial DNA base pairs was examined with regard to three aspects associated with DNA damage, namely deprotonation, H‐abstraction, and H‐radical addition. The effect of size expansion on C8 activity was investigated because C8‐oxidative guanine (G) is one of the most important products of DNA damage. Computational results indicate that the insertion of an aromatic spacer ring in G considerably decreases the electron density over the C8 site, leading to easier deprotonation or H‐abstraction from the C8 site and more difficult H . ‐radical attack on the C8 site. However, the opposite phenomenon is observed if the spacer ring is antiaromatic, because of the increased electron density over the C8 site. Moreover, these effects are more prominent the larger the aromaticity or antiaromaticity of the spacer ring. Further analyses, using natural bond orbitals (NBOs) and the nucleus‐independent chemical shift (NICS) index of aromaticity, indicate that the changes of the electron distribution over the C8 site arise because the aromatic spacer ring, involved in the conjugation structure, increases the electron delocalization from the electron‐rich imidazole ring to the diatropic six‐membered rings, while the antiaromatic spacer ring acts as an electron‐donating group, not only inhibiting the above electron delocalization, but also slightly increasing the electron density over the C8 site. The improved stability of these size‐expanded base pairs in different DNA‐damaged environments may encourage their use in practical applications. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.