title: Quantitative visualization of DNA G-quadruplex structures in human cells.
abstract: Four-stranded G-quadruplex nucleic acid structures are of great interest as their high thermodynamic stability under near-physiological conditions suggests that they could form in cells. Here we report the generation and application of an engineered, structure-specific antibody employed to quantitatively visualize DNA G-quadruplex structures in human cells. We show explicitly that G-quadruplex formation in DNA is modulated during cell-cycle progression and that endogenous G-quadruplex DNA structures can be stabilized by a small-molecule ligand. Together these findings provide substantive evidence for the formation of G-quadruplex structures in the genome of mammalian cells and corroborate the application of stabilizing ligands in a cellular context to target G-quadruplexes and intervene with their function.
authors: Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK.
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Biffi
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Tannahill
authors: John
authors: J
authors: McCafferty
authors: Shankar
authors: S
authors: Balasubramanian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D002453:Cell Cycle; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D054856:G-Quadruplexes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000235:genetics; D012474:Salmon; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000737:chemistry; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D004247:DNA