New methodology to search for DNA binding ligands based on duplex DNA-templated click chemistry.

We have developed a new methodology for searching new molecules that bind to dsDNA using DNA-templated click chemistry. The click reactions between the minor groove binding peptide and acridine intercalators were accelerated by addition of dsDNA. Furthermore, resulting peptide-acridine conjugate showed strong binding to dsDNA. These results indicate that DNA-templated click chemistry is applicable to search new DNA binding peptide-acridine conjugates from random peptide library.