[DNA] 4중나선 구조. G-Quadruplex

This 3D-structure of [DNA] is formed in the [Telomere] region and inhibit the telemrase. In addition, it has been found in the [Promoter] region of several [Gene]s inclucing OncoGene. Recently, there has been many interests in G-quadruplex stabiling ligands as anti-cancer. G-quadruplex structures in the region of promoter regulate the recruiting of transcription factors, and then transcription of the gene may be blocked.

* G-quadruplex forming region within the chromosome

1. Telomere
2. Promoter region of the Insulin gene
3. Upstream region of the oncogenic promoter
4. Introns

In addition, [RNA] G-Quadruplexes have been found in [HIV] and human. Human RNA G-quadruplexes play roles in regulating RNA-processing like polyadenylation or RnaSplicing.

It is very interesting that nucleic acids regulate the biological process by their 3D structure equal to the proteins. Unlike the proteins, nucleic acids may have various isoforms affecting the their biological functions.

관련프로그램 및 Database

• [http://www-shankar.ch.cam.ac.uk/quadparserframeset.html Quadpaser]

• [http://bioinformatics.ramapo.edu/grsdb/index.php GRSDB]