title: The i-motif in nucleic acids.
abstract: Seven years after the discovery of the DNA i-motif, partial explanations for its occurrence have been uncovered, possibly involving CHellipsisO hydrogen bonds across the narrow grooves. Investigations of its biological significance have been encouraged by the demonstration and description of the intramolecular i-motif structure of human telomeric and centromeric sequences, by the recent observation of an intercalated RNA structure and by the discovery of proteins that associate with DNA sequences carrying cytosine repeats. The compatibility of the intercalation with peptide and phosphorothioate DNA analogs is favorable for possible pharmaceutical applications.
authors.affiliation: Groupe de biophysique de l'Ecole polytechnique et de l'UMR 7643 du CNRS, Palaiseau, 91128, France. mg@pmc.polytechnique.fr.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guéron
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Leroy
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016615:Telomere / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA