The structural characterization of non-covalent complexes between nucleic acids and small molecules (ligands) is of a paramount significance to bioorganic research. Highly informative methods about nucleic acid/ligand complexes such as single crystal X-ray diffraction or NMR spectroscopy cannot be performed under biologically compatible conditions and are extensively time consuming. Therefore, in search for faster methods which can be applied to conditions that are at least similar to the naturally occurring ones, a set of polarization spectroscopy methods has shown highly promising results. Electronic circular dichroism (ECD) is the most commonly used method for the characterization of the helical structure of DNA and RNA and their complexes with ligands. Less common but complementary to ECD, is flow-oriented linear dichroism (LD). Other methods such as vibrational CD (VCD) and emission-based methods (FDCD, CPL), can also be used for suitable samples. Despite the popularity of polarization spectroscopy in biophysics, aside several highly focused reviews on the application of these methods to DNA/RNA research, there is no systematic tutorial covering all mentioned methods as a tool for the characterization of adducts between nucleic acids and small ligands. This tutorial aims to help researchers entering the research field to organize experiments accurately and to interpret the obtained data reliably. 84

Nature provides a large number of functional proteins that evolved during billions of years of evolution. The diversity of natural proteins encompasses versatile functions and more than a thousand different folds, which, however, represents only a tiny fraction of all possible folds and polypeptide sequences. Recent advances in the rational design of proteins demonstrate that it is possible to design de novo protein folds unseen in nature. Novel protein topologies have been designed based on similar principles as natural proteins using advanced computational modelling or modular construction principles, such as oligomerization domains. Designed proteins exhibit several interesting features such as extreme stability, designability of 3D topologies and folding pathways. Moreover, designed protein assemblies can implement symmetry similar to the viral capsids, while, on the other hand, single-chain pseudosymmetric designs can address each position independently. Recently, the design is expanding towards the introduction of new functions into designed proteins, and we may soon be able to design molecular machines.

This paper describes the synthesis and anticholinesterase potency of Cinchona-based alkaloids; ten quaternary derivatives of cinchonines and their corresponding pseudo-enantiomeric cinchonidines. The quaternization of quinuclidine moiety of each compound was carried out with groups diverse in their size: methyl, benzyl and differently meta- and para-substituted benzyl groups. All of the prepared compounds reversibly inhibited human butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase with Ki constants within nanomolar to micromolar range. Five cinchonidine derivatives displayed 95–510 times higher inhibition selectivity to butyrylcholinesterase over acetylcholinesterase and four were potent butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors with Ki constants up to 100 nM, of which N-para-bromobenzyl cinchonidinium bromide can be considered a lead for further modifications and optimizations for possible use in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

One molecule-dual fluorescence response: pyrene emission highly selective for BSA protein and “switch-on” of cyanine fluorescence selective for DNA.

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By a simple click CuAAC (copper(I)‐catalysed azide alkyne cycloaddition) procedure several cyanine dye analogues have been attached to the side‐chain of an amino acid to yield chromophore amino acid conjugates with the potential to fluoresce upon binding to a target. Due to the availabiltiy of the amino acid C and N termini for peptide coupling, these conjugates are suitable for easy incorporation into the backbone of peptides. The novel amino acid dyes prepared in this work, although intrinsically non‐fluorescent, gave rise to strong fluorimetric responses upon binding to double‐stranded (ds) DNA or RNA, the emission response to various polynucleotide secondary structures being controlled either by linker length or a halogen atom located on the cyanine part of the molecule. Molecular modelling confirmed the mode of binding to different polynucleotides, which was responsible for the recognition. Interestingly, cell localisation experiments showed that the dyes were specifically localised in mitochondria at variance with the localisation of the parent dyes, which accumulate in cell nuclei, which suggests that the amino acid tail (containing a triazole ring) might function as a novel mitochondria‐directing appendage.

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