Current Opinion in Genetics & Development
Volume 25, April 2014, Pages 22–29
Genome architecture and expression
Existence and consequences of G-quadruplex structures in DNA
Pierre Murat1, 2, Shankar Balasubramanian1, 2,
1 Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
2 Cambridge Institute, Cancer Research UK, Li Ka Shing Center, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
Available online 31 December 2013
Under a Creative Commons license
Abstract
While the discovery of B-form DNA 60 years ago has defined our molecular view of the genetic code, other postulated DNA secondary structures, such as A-DNA, Z-DNA, H-DNA, cruciform and slipped structures have provoked consideration of DNA as a more dynamic structure. Four-stranded G-quadruplex DNA does not use Watson-Crick base pairing and has been subject of considerable speculation and investigation during the past decade, particularly with regard to its potential relevance to genome integrity and gene expression. Here, we discuss recent data that collectively support the formation of G-quadruplexes in genomic DNA and the consequences of formation of this structural motif in biological processes.
Current Opinion in Genetics & Development 2014, 25:22–29
This review comes from a themed issue on Genome architecture and expression
Edited by Victor Corces and David L Levens
Available online 31st December 2013
0959-437X/$ – see front matter, © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
FREE PDF GRATIS: Current Opinion in Genetics & Development
