title: Single-molecule investigation of G-quadruplex using a nanopore sensor.
abstract: This review article introduces the nanopore single-molecule method for the study of G-quadruplex nucleic acid structures. Single G-quadruplexes can be trapped into a 2 nm protein pore embedded in the lipid bilayer membrane. The trapped G-quadruplex specifically blocks the current through the nanopore, creating a signature event for quantitative analysis of G-quadruplex properties, from cation-determined folding and unfolding kinetics to the interactions with the protein ligand. The nanopore single-molecule method is simple, accurate, and requires no labels. It can be used to evaluate G-quadruplex mechanisms and it may have applications in G-quadruplex-based biosensors, nanomachines, and nanostructure assembly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. shimji@illinois.edu
authors.forename: Jiwook
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Li-Qun
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D002412:Cations; D054856:G-Quadruplexes; D007700:Kinetics; D008024:Ligands; D058608:Nanopores; D049329:Nanostructures; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry; D059370:RNA Folding
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D008024:Ligands; D011506:Proteins; D012313:RNA