It is estimated that about 40% of the Indian population are infected with tuberculosis (TB) and that ∼3,000,000 people die as a result of TB annually. TB is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In 2011, the World Health Organization declared India as having the highest TB burden worldwide. An important criteria for pathogenicity is the presence of mycolic acid linked to the protective outer membrane of bacteria. Mycolyl transferase catalyzes the transfer of mycolic acid and promotes cell wall synthesis. This is also considered as a novel target for drug-mediated intervention strategies. Here, we have attempted to understand the interaction between the antimicrobial peptide (AMP), dermcidin, and mycolyl transferase in M. tuberculosis using a computational approach. The present study was undertaken in order to elucidate the capability of AMPs to treat this bacteria, which is less sensitive to available antibiotics, and to design a novel method for new therapies.
A series of pyrazol-derived thiosemicarbazone ligands (L1-L4) were synthesized and reacted with [Ru(p-cymene)(μ-Cl)Cl] 2 to yield a series of "piano-stool"-type binuclear ruthenium (II)-arene-thiosemicarbazone complexes (C1-C8) of the general type [(Ru(η 6 -p-cym)L) 2 (μ-im/azpy)] Cl 1-2 (L = diphenylpyrazole thiosemicarbazone; cym = p-cymene; im = imidazole; azpy = 4,4 0 -azopyridine). The thiosemicarbazone ligands act as N and S donors binding to the Ru(II) center via the imine nitrogen and the thione sulfur atoms. The complexes were characterized by NMR, FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and ESI + mass spectrometry. The binding of the complexes to calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid (CT-DNA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was evaluated, and it has been established that the binuclear complexes have good binding efficacies with DNA (K b = 10 4 -10 5 M À1 ) and BSA (K a = 10 5 -10 6 M À1 ). This is attributed to the arene moieties present in the ligands of the complexes that can have hydrophobic interactions with DNA/BSA. Ethidium bromide (EB) displacement studies and DNA viscosity measurements revealed intercalative interaction of the complexes with DNA. Static interaction of the complexes with BSA was revealed by fluorescence quenching studies. Molecular docking studies confirmed base stacking, H-bonding, and hydrophobic interactions with the biomolecules. In vitro antiproliferative studies of the complexes affirmed that the complexes are cytotoxic towards the HeLa (human cervical cancer) cell line with IC 50 values in range of 17.3-41.3 μM. K E Y W O R D S binuclear ruthenium (II) complexes, DNA/BSA binding interactions, HeLa human cervical carcinoma, pyrazole-derived thiosemicarbazone
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