Analysis of Various Functional Groups on Flavone Derivatives for Triplex DNA Binding

Triplex DNA is a unique three-stranded DNA structure that can form both intramolecularly and intermolecularly. Intramolecular triplexes occur when a DNA strand folds onto itself, forming Hoogsteen hydrogen bonds, while intermolecular triplexes form when an external third strand, known as a triplex-forming oligonucleotide (TFO), binds to a duplex through Hoogsteen interactions. Interest in triplex DNA has grown due to its potential applications in antigene therapy, where TFOs can selectively bind to genomic regions to regulate gene expression. This offers a promising approach for treating genetic diseases and cancer. Previously, our group found that 5-substituted quercetin derivatives effectively bind to triplex DNA with minimal impact on duplex DNA stability. Building on this work, I focused on synthesizing different flavone derivatives with various functional groups attached to the flavone backbone to investigate their effects on triplex DNA stabilization. Using thermal denaturation monitored by UV spectroscopy, I will present how these modifications influence triplex stability.