Reversible Stabilization of Transition-Metal-Binding DNA G-Quadruplexes

摘要

For the biological function of oligonucleotides, not only the primary sequence but also the precise secondary and tertiary structure is essential, especially in the context of protein interactions. DNA is known to form a number of secondary structures beyond the double helix such as triplexes, the four-stranded i-motif, and G-quadruplexes. The latter result from the self-assembly of guanine-rich oligonucleotides by Hoog-steen base pairing, thus forming stacked guanine tetrads stabilized by central cations. G-quadruplexes have gained increasing attention, as studies indicate that their in vivo formation both prevents human telomere elongation, and therefore shortens cancer cell lifetimes, and also plays a role in the gene expression of oncogenes.