title: Existence and consequences of G-quadruplex structures in DNA.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; Cambridge Institute, Cancer Research UK, Li Ka Shing Center, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Murat
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK; Cambridge Institute, Cancer Research UK, Li Ka Shing Center, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK. Electronic address: sb10031@cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Shankar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D054856:G-Quadruplexes; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA