B-form DNA dodecamer (B-DNA)

B-form DNA is the most common structural conformation of the double helix found in physiological conditions. It is characterized by a right-handed helix with a wide major groove and a narrow minor groove, providing the primary structural framework for the storage and transmission of genetic information. In a therapeutic context, B-form DNA serves as a critical target for various classes of drugs, including intercalators, alkylating agents, and minor groove binders. These interactions are primarily utilized in oncology to induce DNA damage and inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells, as well as in antimicrobial therapy to disrupt pathogen replication. The specific dodecamer sequence (DNA12), often exemplified by the Dickerson dodecamer, is a standard model used in structural biology to study these drug-DNA interactions and the hydration patterns essential for helical stability.

Other names

B-DNADouble-stranded DNADickerson dodecamerB-form deoxyribonucleic acidDNA minor groove

Drugs targeting B-form DNA typically act via minor groove binding, intercalation between base pairs, or covalent alkylation. Minor groove binders like netropsin disrupt the binding of transcription factors, while intercalators like doxorubicin inhibit topoisomerase II and cause DNA strand breaks, ultimately leading to apoptosis in rapidly dividing cells.