Structural analysis by NMR of antitumor drug-DNA complexes: 9-aminoanthracycline (SM-5887)

SM-5887 is an anthracycline antibiotic with a potent antitumor activity and low toxicity. The structure of the 2:1 SM-5887 -d(CGTACG) complex has been studied in solution by 2D NMR spectroscopy. These data revealed that SM-5887 intercalated between the cytosine and guanine residues and the sugar moiety lay in the minor groove. The intercalation geometry of SM-5887 was a hybrid between those of adriamycin and nogalamycin.