DNA minor groove binding of cross-linked lexitropsins: experimental conditions required to observe the covalently linked WPPW (groove wall-peptide-peptide-groove wall) motif.

A theoretical analysis of binding interactions between covalently cross-linked lexitropsins and DNA is undertaken, in which a novel cyclic symmetric 2:2 dimeric lexitropsin-DNA-binding model is proposed. Applicability of commonly used techniques including NMR, quantitative footprinting, CD, and ethidium fluorometry to differentiate the covalently linked WPPW (groove Wall-Peptide-Peptide-groove Wall) from a 2:2 cross-linked lexitropsin-DNA duplex structure is examined.