Learn vital information about drug-DNA interactions from Drug-DNA Interactions: Structures and Spectra, the only comprehensive book written about this topic. Understand the types of structural and bonding information that can be obtained using specific physico-chemical methods and discover how to design new drugs that are more effective than current treatments and have fewer side effects. Find detailed information about X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, molecular modeling, and optical spectroscopy such as UV-Visible absorption, fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), flow linear dichroism (FLD), infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy.

This cutting-edge book surveys the current knowledge on the mode of action of the major classes of DNA-interactive antitumor agents, providing information that could be crucial for the discovery of new therapeutic substances. It is an important reference for molecular biologists, cancer researchers, biochemists, biophysicists, and pharmacologists.

Since most therapeutic efforts have been predominantly focused on pharmaceuticals that target proteins, there is an unmet need to develop drugs that intercept cellular pathways that critically involve nucleic acids. Progress in the discovery of nucleic acid binding drugs naturally relies on the availability of analytical methods that assess the eff

This volume contains the texts of the nineteen lectures presented at the NATO-ASI - FEBS Course on "DNA - ligand interactions: from drugs to proteins." The Advanced Study Institute (ASIl was held from August 30th to September 11th. 1986 in the Abbey of Fontevraud (France). The ASI was attended by 112 participants from a wide scientific horizon and from twentyone different countries. It was in some way a follow-up of the ASI held in Maratea. Italy in May 1981 and which was published in the NATO ASI Life Science series as volume 45. While much has been learned about the way the cellular machinery maintains and transmits the genetic heritage. as well as how these processes are regulated. little is Known about how the interactions between the various partners involved are taKing place. The interactions of drugs and proteins with nucleic acids are of evident importance in the understanding of these problems. The spectacular advances in recombinant DNA technology and the increased sophistication of biophysical techniques. in particular >:-ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance. have created a scientific environment which is highly promising for the future of research in molecular biology. These advances permH the serious hope that biology on the molecular level may become a r-eality. Some of the contributions at the ASI presented the most recent advances in this e>:citing field.

This volume consolidates the key methods for studying ligand-nucleic acid interactions into a convenient source. Techniques that are examined range from biophysical and chemical approaches to methods rooted in molecular and cell biology.

A unified overview of the dynamical properties of water and its unique and diverse role in biological and chemical processes.

A collection of useful molecular techniques to illuminate and explore the interaction of drugs and ligands with DNA. These easily reproducible methods involve sequence recognition properties, as well as the physical approaches for measuring both the strength of interaction and the mode of drug binding to DNA. The interactions are also examined from a cellular perspective and for their usefulness in the design of new therapeutic agents. The powerful techniques detailed here will be particularly useful in elucidating the action of existing therapeutic agents, as well as in the design of new anti-cancer drugs with improved action and reduced toxicity.