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Libera V, Fasolato C, Ripanti F, Catalini S, Bertini L, Petrillo C, Schirò G, D'Amico F, Rossi B, Paciaroni A, Comez L. Molecular mechanisms behind BRACO19 and human telomeric G-quadruplex interaction. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2024; 322:124684. [PMID: 38981290 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2024.124684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Human telomeres (HTs) can form DNA G-quadruplex (G4), an attractive target for anticancer and antiviral drugs. HT-G4s exhibit inherent structural polymorphism, posing challenges for understanding their specific recognition by ligands. Here, we aim to explore the impact of different topologies within a small segment of the HT (Tel22) on its interaction with BRACO19, a rationally designed G4 ligand with high quadruplex affinity, already employed in in-vivo treatments. Our multi-technique approach is based on the combined use of a set of contactless spectroscopic tools. Circular dichroism and UV resonance Raman spectroscopy probe ligand-induced conformational changes in the G4 sequence, while UV-visible absorption, coupled with steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, provides further insights into the electronic features of the complex, exploiting the photoresponsive properties of BRACO19. Overall, we find that modifying the topology of the unbound Tel22 through cations (K+ or Na+), serves as a critical determinant for ligand interactions and binding modes, thus influencing the HT-G4's assembly capabilities. Furthermore, we show how fluorescence serves as a valuable probe for recognizing cation-driven multimeric structures, which may be present in living organisms, giving rise to pathological forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Libera
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Claudia Fasolato
- Institute for Complex System, National Research Council (ISC-CNR), Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185, Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca Ripanti
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Sara Catalini
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123, Perugia, Italy; European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), via Nello Carrara 1, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy; National Research Council-National Institute of Optics (CNR-INO), Largo Fermi 6, 50125, Florence, Italy
| | - Luca Bertini
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Caterina Petrillo
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Giorgio Schirò
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Structurale, F-38044, Grenoble, France
| | - Francesco D'Amico
- Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A, s.s. 14 km 163, 500 in Area Science Park, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Barbara Rossi
- Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A, s.s. 14 km 163, 500 in Area Science Park, 34149, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandro Paciaroni
- Department of Physics and Geology, University of Perugia, via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123, Perugia, Italy
| | - Lucia Comez
- CNR-IOM - Istituto Officina dei Materiali, Via Alessandro Pascoli, 06123, Perugia, Italy.
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2
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Zhong F, Sun R, Huang S, Guo P, Li Q, Wang L, Sun H, Yao L. Determination of ligand selectivity to G-tetrad through an AMCA fluorescence quenching approach. Talanta 2024; 280:126732. [PMID: 39216423 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/17/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
The selective binding of ligand molecules towards the 5' and 3' ends of G-quadruplex (G4) may differentially affect the physiological function of G4s. However, there is still a lack of sensitive and low-cost approaches to accurately measure the binding preference of ligands on G4s, although multiple ways have been developed to evaluate the interaction between ligands and G4s. Here, we propose a new protocol named G4-AFQ to test the selectivity of ligands towards the two terminal G-tetrads of G4s. In this protocol, the fluorophore AMCA is respectively modified at the 5' or 3' end of G4, and which end of AMCA fluorescence is quenched means that the ligand binds to the G-tetrad at that end. Through G4-AFQ, the affinity constant of ligands towards the binding site can also be obtained. Compared with the commonly used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method, G4-AFQ is more convenient, sensitive, cost-effective, and suitable for the measurement of the vast majority of G4 ligands, with a great potential for widespread application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanru Zhong
- School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, PR China; Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, PR China
| | - Ranran Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Saipeng Huang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, PR China
| | - Pengqi Guo
- School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, PR China.
| | - Qian Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, PR China
| | - Lixia Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, PR China
| | - Hongxia Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China.
| | - Li Yao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China.
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3
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Pirota V, Rey F, Esposito L, Fantini V, Pandini C, Maghraby E, Di Gerlando R, Doria F, Mella M, Pansarasa O, Gandellini P, Freccero M, Carelli S, Cereda C. Effective lowering of α-synuclein expression by targeting G-quadruplex structures within the SNCA gene. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 277:134417. [PMID: 39098688 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein, encoded by the SNCA gene, is a pivotal protein implicated in the pathogenesis of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease. Current approaches for modulating alpha-synuclein levels involve antisense nucleotides, siRNAs, and small molecules targeting SNCA's 5'-UTR mRNA. Here, we propose a groundbreaking strategy targeting G-quadruplex structures to effectively modulate SNCA gene expression and lowering alpha-synuclein amount. Novel G-quadruplex sequences, identified on the SNCA gene's transcription starting site and 5'-UTR of SNCA mRNAs, were experimentally confirmed for their stability through biophysical assays and in vitro experiments on human genomic DNA. Biological validation in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells revealed that well-known G-quadruplex ligands remarkably stabilized these structures, inducing the modulation of SNCA mRNAs expression, and the effective decrease in alpha-synuclein amount. Besides, a novel peptide nucleic acid conjugate, designed to selectively disrupt of G-quadruplex within the SNCA gene promoter, caused a promising lowering of both SNCA mRNA and alpha-synuclein protein. Altogether our findings highlight G-quadruplexes' key role as intriguing biological targets in achieving a notable and successful reduction in alpha-synuclein expression, pointing to a novel approach against synucleinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Pirota
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; G4-INTERACT, USERN, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Federica Rey
- G4-INTERACT, USERN, Pavia, Italy; Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Center of Functional Genomics and Rare diseases, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Letizia Esposito
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Center of Functional Genomics and Rare diseases, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Fantini
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Neurogenetic, Golgi-Cenci Foundation, Abbiategrasso, Italy
| | - Cecilia Pandini
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Erika Maghraby
- Center of Functional Genomics and Rare diseases, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Rosalinda Di Gerlando
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Lazzaro Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Molecular Biology and Transcriptomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Filippo Doria
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mariella Mella
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Orietta Pansarasa
- Cellular Models and Neuroepigenetics Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Mauro Freccero
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stephana Carelli
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Center of Functional Genomics and Rare diseases, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy.
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Center of Functional Genomics and Rare diseases, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy
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4
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Yang D, Sun R, Sun H, Li Q, Zhang H, Zhang X, Shi L, Yao L, Tang Y. A FRET biosensor constructed using pH sensitive G-quadruplex DNA for detecting mitochondrial autophagy. Talanta 2024; 281:126885. [PMID: 39277929 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2024] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024]
Abstract
Mitochondria are crucial powerhouses and central organelles for maintaining normal physiological activities in eukaryotic cells. The use of highly specific optical biosensors to monitor mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) is an important way for detecting mitochondrial abnormalities. Herein, we report a pH responsive G-quadruplex (G4) structure folded by the oligonucleotide named P24. P24 is composed of four GGCCTG repeating units, and the high guanine content allows it to form an antiparallel G4 topology at pH 4.5 (lysosomal pH). However, when pH increases to around 7.4 (mitochondrial pH), P24 further transforms into a double-stranded structure. Unlike most oligonucleotides that enter lysosomes, P24 highly targets mitochondria in live cells. These characteristics enable P24 to construct a pH responsive optical biosensor by linking a pair of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) fluorophores. The P24 based biosensor demonstrates reliable applications in detecting mitophagy in live cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawei Yang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ranran Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hongxia Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Qian Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiufeng Zhang
- College of Chemistry Engineering, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Lei Shi
- College of Chemistry Engineering, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, China
| | - Li Yao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Yalin Tang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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5
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Chilton B, Roach RJ, Edwards PJB, Jameson GB, Hale TK, Filichev VV. Inverted strand polarity yields thermodynamically stable G-quadruplexes and prevents duplex formation within extended DNA. Chem Sci 2024:d3sc05432b. [PMID: 39246343 PMCID: PMC11376080 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc05432b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA G-quadruplexes (G4) formed in guanine-rich sequences play a key role in genome function and maintenance, interacting with multiple proteins. However, structural and functional studies of G4s within duplex DNA have been challenging because of the transient nature of G4s and thermodynamic preference of G-rich DNA to form duplexes with their complementary strand rather than G4s. To overcome these challenges, we have incorporated native nucleotides in G-rich sequences using commercially available inverted 3'-O-DMT-5'-O-phosphoramidites of native nucleosides, to give 3'-3' and 5'-5' linkages in the centre of the G-tract. Using circular dichroism and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies and native gel electrophoresis, we demonstrate that these polarity-inverted DNA sequences containing four telomeric repeats form G4s of parallel topology with one lateral or diagonal loop across the face of the quadruplex and two propeller loops across the edges of the quadruplex. These G4s were stable even in the presence of complementary C-rich DNA. As an example, G4 assemblies of inverted polarity were shown to bind to the hinge region of Heterochromatin Protein 1α (HP1α), a known G4-interacting domain. As such, internal polarity inversions in DNA provide a useful tool to control G4 topology while also disrupting the formation of other secondary structures, particularly the canonical duplex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce Chilton
- School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences, Massey University Private Bag 11-222 Palmerston North 4442 New Zealand
| | - Ruby J Roach
- School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences, Massey University Private Bag 11-222 Palmerston North 4442 New Zealand
| | - Patrick J B Edwards
- School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences, Massey University Private Bag 11-222 Palmerston North 4442 New Zealand
| | - Geoffrey B Jameson
- School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences, Massey University Private Bag 11-222 Palmerston North 4442 New Zealand
| | - Tracy K Hale
- School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences, Massey University Private Bag 11-222 Palmerston North 4442 New Zealand
| | - Vyacheslav V Filichev
- School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences, Massey University Private Bag 11-222 Palmerston North 4442 New Zealand
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6
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Sun H, Sun R, Yang D, Li Q, Jiang W, Zhou T, Bai R, Zhong F, Zhang B, Xiang J, Liu J, Tang Y, Yao L. A Cyanine Dye for Highly Specific Recognition of Parallel G-Quadruplex Topology and Its Application in Clinical RNA Detection for Cancer Diagnosis. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:22736-22746. [PMID: 39078265 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c07698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
G-quadruplex (G4), an unconventional nucleic acid structure, shows polymorphism in its topological morphology. The parallel G4 topology is the most prevalent form in organisms and plays a regulatory role in many biological processes. Designing fluorescent probes with high specificity for parallel G4s is important but challenging. Herein, a supramolecular assembly of the anionic cyanine dye SCY-5 is reported, which selectively identifies parallel G4 topology. SCY-5 can clearly distinguish parallel G4s from other G4s and non-G4s, even including hybrid-type G4s with parallel characteristics. The high specificity mechanism of SCY-5 involves a delicate balance between electrostatic repulsion and π-π interaction between SCY-5 and G4s. Using SCY-5, cellular RNA extracted from peripheral venous blood was quantitatively detected, and a remarkable increase in RNA G4 content in cancer patients compared to healthy volunteers was confirmed for the first time. This study provides new insights for designing specific probes for parallel G4 topology and opens a new path for clinical cancer diagnosis using RNA G4 as a biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxia Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ranran Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dawei Yang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Qian Li
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wenna Jiang
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Tianxing Zhou
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Ruiyang Bai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Fanru Zhong
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Boyang Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Junfeng Xiang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China
- Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yalin Tang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Li Yao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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7
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Bednarz A, Rosendal RT, Lund LM, Birkedal V. Probing G-quadruplex-ligand binding using DNA intrinsic fluorescence. Biochimie 2024:S0300-9084(24)00145-7. [PMID: 38936685 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are helical four-stranded nucleic acid structures that can form in guanine-rich sequences, which are mostly found in functional cellular regions, such as telomeres, promoters, and DNA replication origins. Great efforts are being made to target these structures towards the development of specific small molecule G4 binders for novel anti-cancer, neurological, and viral therapies. Here, we introduce an optical assay based on quenching of the intrinsic fluorescence of DNA G-quadruplexes for assessing and comparing the G4 binding affinity of various small molecule ligands in solutions. We show that the approach allows direct quantification of ligand binding to distinctive G4 topologies. We believe that this method will facilitate quick and reliable evaluation of small molecule G4 ligands and support their development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Bednarz
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Denmark; Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Rebecca Torp Rosendal
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Denmark; Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Line Mørkholt Lund
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Denmark; Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Victoria Birkedal
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Denmark; Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Denmark.
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8
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Miranda A, Cucchiarini A, Esnault C, Andrau JC, Oliveira PA, Mergny JL, Cruz C. G-quadruplex forming motifs in the promoter region of the B-MYB proto-oncogene. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 270:132244. [PMID: 38729459 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
To combat cancer, a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms and behaviors involved in carcinogenesis is crucial, as tumorigenesis is a complex process influenced by various genetic events and disease hallmarks. The B-MYB gene encodes a transcription factor involved in cell cycle regulation, survival, and differentiation in normal cells. B-MYB can be transformed into an oncogene through mutations, and abnormal expression of B-MYB has been identified in various cancers, including lung cancer, and is associated with poor prognosis. Targeting this oncogene is a promising approach for anti-cancer drug design. B-MYB has been deemed undruggable in previous reports, necessitating the search for novel therapeutic options. In this study, we found that the B-MYB gene promoter contains several G/C rich motifs compatible with G-quadruplex (G4) formation. We investigated and validated the existence of G4 structures in the promoter region of B-MYB, first in vitro using a combination of bioinformatics, biophysical, and biochemical methods, then in cell with the recently developed G4access method.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Miranda
- CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Inov4Agro, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Anne Cucchiarini
- Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, École Polytechnique, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91120 Palaiseau, France
| | - Cyril Esnault
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS-UMR, 5535 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Andrau
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS-UMR, 5535 Montpellier, France
| | - Paula A Oliveira
- Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Inov4Agro, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Jean-Louis Mergny
- Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, École Polytechnique, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91120 Palaiseau, France.
| | - Carla Cruz
- CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; Departamento de Química, Universidade da Beira Interior, Rua Marquês de Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal.
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9
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Farag M, Mouawad L. Comprehensive analysis of intramolecular G-quadruplex structures: furthering the understanding of their formalism. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3522-3546. [PMID: 38512075 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4) are helical structures found in guanine-rich DNA or RNA sequences. Generally, their formalism is based on a few dozen structures, which can produce some inconsistencies or incompleteness. Using the website ASC-G4, we analyzed the structures of 333 intramolecular G4s, of all types, which allowed us to clarify some key concepts and present new information. To each of the eight distinguishable topologies corresponds a groove-width signature and a predominant glycosidic configuration (gc) pattern governed by the directions of the strands. The relative orientations of the stacking guanines within the strands, which we quantified and related to their vertical gc successions, determine the twist and tilt of the helices. The latter impact the minimum groove widths, which represent the space available for lateral ligand binding. The G4 four helices have similar twists, even when these twists are irregular, meaning that they have various angles along the strands. Despite its importance, the vertical gc succession has no strict one-to-one relationship with the topology, which explains the discrepancy between some topologies and their corresponding circular dichroism spectra. This study allowed us to introduce the new concept of platypus G4s, which are structures with properties corresponding to several topologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Farag
- Chemistry and Modeling for the Biology of Cancer, CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Université Paris-Saclay, CS 90030, 91401 ORSAYCedex, France
| | - Liliane Mouawad
- Chemistry and Modeling for the Biology of Cancer, CNRS UMR9187, INSERM U1196, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Université Paris-Saclay, CS 90030, 91401 ORSAYCedex, France
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10
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Napolitano E, Criscuolo A, Riccardi C, Esposito CL, Catuogno S, Coppola G, Roviello GN, Montesarchio D, Musumeci D. Directing in Vitro Selection towards G-quadruplex-forming Aptamers to Inhibit HMGB1 Pathological Activity. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202319828. [PMID: 38358301 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202319828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
In the search for novel, effective inhibitors of High-Mobility Group Box1 (HMGB1)-a protein involved in various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases as well as in cancer-we herein discovered a set of anti-HMGB1 G-quadruplex(G4)-forming aptamers by using an in vitro selection procedure applied to a doped library of guanine-rich oligonucleotides. The selected DNA sequences were then studied in a pseudo-physiological buffer mimicking the extracellular medium, where HMGB1 exerts its pathological activity, using spectroscopic, electrophoretic, and chromatographic techniques. All the oligonucleotides proved to fold into monomeric G4s and in some cases also dimeric species, stable at physiological temperature. Remarkably, the protein preferentially recognized the sequences forming dimeric parallel G4 structures, as evidenced by a properly designed chemiluminescent binding assay which also highlighted a good selectivity of these aptamers for HMGB1. Moreover, all aptamers showed anti-HMGB1 activity, inhibiting protein-induced cell migration. The acquired data allowed identifying L12 as the best anti-HMGB1 aptamer, featured by high thermal and enzymatic stability, no toxicity at least up to 5 μM concentration on healthy cells, along with potent anti-HMGB1 activity (IC50 ca. 28 nM) and good binding affinity for the protein, thus indicating it as a very promising lead candidate for in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ettore Napolitano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, via Cintia 21, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Andrea Criscuolo
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, via Cintia 21, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Claudia Riccardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, via Cintia 21, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Carla L Esposito
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology "Gaetano Salvatore" (IEOS), National Research Council (CNR), Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Napoli, Italy
| | - Silvia Catuogno
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology "Gaetano Salvatore" (IEOS), National Research Council (CNR), Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Napoli, Italy
| | - Gabriele Coppola
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology "Gaetano Salvatore" (IEOS), National Research Council (CNR), Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Napoli, Italy
| | - Giovanni N Roviello
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 80145, Napoli, Italy
| | - Daniela Montesarchio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, via Cintia 21, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Domenica Musumeci
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, via Cintia 21, 80126, Napoli, Italy
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging (IBB), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 80145, Napoli, Italy
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11
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Tanabe K, Miyazaki K, Umeno H, Takemoto M, Nakano S. Basic protein- and peptide-induced stabilization of long-loop DNA G-guadruplexes. Biochimie 2024; 219:110-117. [PMID: 37972915 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The human genome contains many G-quadruplex-forming sequences, including sequences containing long single-stranded loops that are believed to be unfavorable for G-quadruplex formation. The intracellular environment of biological cells is crowded with proteins with charged surfaces. Understanding the effects of protein-rich environments is important for understanding the formation of G-quadruplexes in an intracellular environment. In this study, we investigated the structural stability of DNA G-quadruplexes in the presence of several types of globular proteins (lysozyme, cytochrome c, bovine serum albumin, myoglobin, histone proteins, and serum proteins), unstructured polypeptides (protamine and poly-l-lysine), and oligopeptides (RGG/RG-domain peptides and short repeated peptides). Thermal melting studies of G-quadruplex-forming oligonucleotides derived from the human telomeric repeat sequence revealed that environments containing high concentrations of proteins and peptides differently affected the G-quadruplex stability according to their loop lengths. We found that weak electrostatic interactions of G-quadruplex loops with basic proteins and peptides improved the stability of long-loop G-quadruplexes and the interactions were strengthened under crowded conditions simulated by dextran. The comparison of the effects of different types of proteins and peptides indicated that excluded volume interactions and structural flexibility of both DNA and polypeptide chains influenced the efficiency of their interactions. This study provides insights into long-loop G-quadruplex stability in a crowded intracellular environment and the recognition of G-quadruplexes by arginine-rich domains of G-quadruplex-binding proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuya Tanabe
- Department of Nanobiochemistry, Faculty of Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20, Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Kouichi Miyazaki
- Department of Nanobiochemistry, Faculty of Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20, Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Hikari Umeno
- Department of Nanobiochemistry, Faculty of Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20, Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Marina Takemoto
- Department of Nanobiochemistry, Faculty of Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20, Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
| | - S Nakano
- Department of Nanobiochemistry, Faculty of Frontiers of Innovative Research in Science and Technology (FIRST), Konan University, 7-1-20, Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan.
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12
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Dobrovodsky D, Danhel A, Renciuk D, Mergny JL, Fojta M. N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX (NMM) as electrochemical probe for detection of guanine quadruplexes. Bioelectrochemistry 2024; 156:108611. [PMID: 37995502 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2023.108611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4) are stable alternative secondary structures of nucleic acids. With increasing understanding of their roles in biological processes and their application in bio- and nanotechnology, the exploration of novel methods for the analysis of these structures is becoming important. In this work, N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX (NMM) was used as a voltammetric probe for an easy electrochemical detection of G4s. Cyclic voltammetry on a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) was used to detect NMM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 40 nM. Characteristic reduction signal of NMM was found to be substantially higher in the presence of G4 oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) than in the presence of single- or double-stranded ODNs and even ODNs susceptible to form G4s but in their unfolded, single-stranded forms. Gradual transition from unstructured single strand to G4, induced by increasing concentrations of the G4 stabilizing K+ ions, was detected by an electrochemical method for the first time. All obtained results were supported by circular dichroism spectroscopy. This work expands on the concept of electrochemical probes utilization in DNA secondary structure recognition and offers a proof of principle that can be potentially employed in the development of novel electroanalytical methods for nucleic acid structure studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Dobrovodsky
- Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Danhel
- Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Renciuk
- Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jean-Louis Mergny
- Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Fojta
- Institute of Biophysics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 612 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
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13
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Wang C, Xu G, Liu X, Jiang L, Zhou X, Liu M, Li C. 19F Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting Technique for Identifying and Quantifying G-Quadruplex Topology in Human Telomeric Overhangs. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:4741-4751. [PMID: 38346932 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c12247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are noncanonical nucleic acid secondary structures with diverse topological features and biological roles. Human telomeric (Htelo) overhangs consisting of TTAGGG repeats can fold into G4s that adopt different topologies under physiological conditions. These G4s are potential targets for anticancer drugs. Despite intensive research, the existence and topology of G4s at Htelo overhangs in vivo are still unclear because there is no method to distinguish and quantify the topology of Htelo overhangs with native lengths that can form more than three tandem G4s in living cells. Herein, we present a novel 19F chemical shift fingerprinting technique to identify and quantify the topology of the Htelo overhangs up to five G-quadruplexes (G4s) and 120 nucleotides long both in vitro and in living cells. Our results show that longer overhang sequences tend to form stable G4s at the 5'- and 3'-ends, while the interior G4s are dynamic and "sliding" along the sequence, with TTA or 1-3 TTAGGG repeats as a linker. Each G4 in the longer overhang is conformationally heterogeneous, but the predominant ones are hybrid-2, two- or three-tetrad antiparallel, and hybrid-1 at the 5'-terminal, interior, and 3'-terminal, respectively. Additionally, we observed a distinct behavior of different lengths of telomeric sequences in living cells, suggesting that the overhang length and protein accessibility are related to its function. This technique provides a powerful tool for quickly identifying the folding topology and relative population of long Htelo overhangs, which may provide valuable insights into telomere functionality and be beneficial for structure-based anticancer drug development targeting G4s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Guohua Xu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
| | - Ling Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
| | - Xin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
| | - Maili Liu
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
| | - Conggang Li
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, P. R. China
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14
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Cervenak M, Molnár OR, Horváth P, Smeller L. Stabilization of G-Quadruplex Structures of the SARS-CoV-2 Genome by TMPyP4, BRACO19, and PhenDC3. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2482. [PMID: 38473730 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The G-quadruplex is one of the non-canonical structures formed by nucleic acids, which can be formed by guanine-rich sequences. They became the focus of much research when they were found in several oncogene promoter regions and also in the telomeres. Later on, they were discovered in viruses as well. Various ligands have been developed in order to stabilize DNA G-quadruplexes, which were believed to have an anti-cancer or antiviral effect. We investigated three of these ligands, and whether they can also affect the stability of the G-quadruplex-forming sequences of the RNA genome of SARS-CoV-2. All three investigated oligonucleotides showed the G-quadruplex form. We characterized their stability and measured their thermodynamic parameters using the Förster resonance energy transfer method. The addition of the ligands caused an increase in the unfolding temperature, but this effect was smaller compared to that found earlier in the case of G-quadruplexes of the hepatitis B virus, which has a DNA genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miklós Cervenak
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, 1094 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Réka Molnár
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, 1094 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Horváth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Semmelweis University, 1092 Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Smeller
- Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, 1094 Budapest, Hungary
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15
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Bethur E, Guha R, Zhao Z, Katz BB, Ashby PD, Zeng H, Copp SM. Formation and Nanomechanical Properties of Silver-Mediated Guanine DNA Duplexes in Aqueous Solution. ACS NANO 2024; 18:3002-3010. [PMID: 38227309 PMCID: PMC10832345 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Silver cations can mediate base pairing of guanine (G) DNA oligomers, yielding linear parallel G-Ag+-G duplexes with enhanced stabilities compared to those of canonical DNA duplexes. To enable their use in programmable DNA nanotechnologies, it is critical to understand solution-state formation and the nanomechanical stiffness of G-Ag+-G duplexes. Using temperature-controlled circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, we find that heating mixtures of G oligomers and silver salt above 50 °C fully destabilizes G-quadruplex structures and converts oligomers to G-Ag+-G duplexes. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry supports that G-Ag+-G duplexes form at stoichiometries of 1 Ag+ per base pair, and CD spectroscopy suggests that as the Ag+/base stoichiometry increases further, G-Ag+-G duplexes undergo additional morphological changes. Using liquid-phase atomic force microscopy, we find that this excess Ag+ enables assembly of long fiberlike structures with ∼2.5 nm heights equivalent to a single DNA duplex but with lengths that far exceed a single duplex. Finally, using the conditions established to form single G-Ag+-G duplexes, we use a surface forces apparatus (SFA) to compare the solution-phase stiffness of single G-Ag+-G duplexes with dG-dC Watson-Crick-Franklin duplexes. SFA shows that G-Ag+-G duplexes are 1.3 times stiffer than dG-dC duplexes, confirming gas-phase ion mobility spectrometry measurements and computational predictions. These findings may guide the development of structural DNA nanotechnologies that rely on silver-mediated base pairing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eshana Bethur
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Rweetuparna Guha
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Ziqian Zhao
- Department
of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Benjamin B. Katz
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Paul D. Ashby
- Molecular
Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Hongbo Zeng
- Department
of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Stacy M. Copp
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
- Department
of Physics and Astronomy, University of
California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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16
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Jana J, Vianney YM, Weisz K. Impact of loop length and duplex extensions on the design of hybrid-type G-quadruplexes. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:854-857. [PMID: 38131370 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc05625b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
A G-rich core sequence G3-TCA-G3-T1,2-G3-T1,2-G3 can be designed to fold into a parallel or into two different (3+1) hybrid-type G-quadruplexes, among them an elusive topology with one lateral followed by two propeller loops. Favored folds can be rationalized based on the number of intervening thymidines and on additional complementary flanking sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jagannath Jana
- Institut für Biochemie, Universität Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff Str. 4, Greifswald D-17489, Germany.
| | - Yoanes Maria Vianney
- Institut für Biochemie, Universität Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff Str. 4, Greifswald D-17489, Germany.
| | - Klaus Weisz
- Institut für Biochemie, Universität Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff Str. 4, Greifswald D-17489, Germany.
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17
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Guo Z, Fan X, Wang X, Zhou Z, Zhang Y, Zhou N. Graphene oxide-enhanced colorimetric detection of Mec A gene based on toehold-mediated strand displacement. Anal Biochem 2024; 684:115365. [PMID: 37914003 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2023.115365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Mec A, as a representative gene mediating resistance to β-lactam antibiotics in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), allows a new genetic analysis for the detection of MRSA. Here, a sensitive, prompt, and visual colorimetry is reported to detect the Mec A gene based on toehold-mediated strand displacement (TMSD) and the enrichment effect of graphene oxide (GO). The Mec A triggers to generate the profuse amount of signal units of single-stranded DNA (SG) composed of a long single-stranded base tail and a base head: the tail can be adsorbed and enriched on the surface of GO; the head can form a G quadruplex structure to exert catalytic function towards 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid). Therefore, through the enrichment effect of GO, the signal units SG reflects different degrees of signal amplification on different substrates (such as aqueous solution or filter membrane). This strategy demonstrates a broad linear working range from 100 pM to 1.5 nM (solution) and 1 pM to 1 nM (filter membrane), with a low detection limit of 39.53 pM (solution) and 333 fM (filter membrane). Analytical performance in real samples suggests that this developed colorimetry is endowed with immense potential for clinical detection applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongkang Guo
- The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Xueting Fan
- The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Zhemin Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
| | - Yuting Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
| | - Nandi Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
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18
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Marzano M, D'Errico S, Greco F, Falanga AP, Terracciano M, Di Prisco D, Piccialli G, Borbone N, Oliviero G. Polymorphism of G-quadruplexes formed by short oligonucleotides containing a 3'-3' inversion of polarity: From G:C:G:C tetrads to π-π stacked G-wires. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127062. [PMID: 37748594 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
G-wires are supramolecular DNA structures based on the G-quadruplex (G4) structural motif obtained by the self-assembly of interlocked slipped G-rich oligonucleotide (ON) strands, or by end-to-end stacking of G4 units. Despite the increasing interest towards G-wires due to their potential applications in DNA nanotechnologies, the self-assembly process to obtain G-wires having a predefined length and stability is still neither completely understood nor controlled. In our previous studies, we demonstrated that the d(5'CG2-3'-3'-G2C5') ON, characterized by the presence of a 3'-3'-inversion of polarity site self-assembles into a G-wire structure when annealed in the presence of K+ ions. Herein, by using CD, PAGE, HPLC size exclusion chromatography, and NMR investigations we studied the propensity of shorter analogues having sequences 5'CGn-3'-3'-GmC5' (with n = 1 and 1 ≤ m ≤ 3) to form the corresponding G-quadruplexes and stacked G-wires. The results revealed that the formation of G-wires starting from d(5'CGn-3'-3'-GmC5') ONs is possible only for the sequences having n and m > 1 in which both guanosines flanking the 5'-ending cytosines are not involved into the 3'-3' phosphodiester bond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Marzano
- CESTEV, University of Naples Federico II, Via Tommaso De Amicis 95, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Stefano D'Errico
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Greco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Patrizia Falanga
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Monica Terracciano
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Daria Di Prisco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Gennaro Piccialli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; ISBE-IT, University of Naples Federico II, Corso Umberto I, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Nicola Borbone
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; ISBE-IT, University of Naples Federico II, Corso Umberto I, 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | - Giorgia Oliviero
- ISBE-IT, University of Naples Federico II, Corso Umberto I, 80138 Naples, Italy; Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
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19
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Riccardi C, Pérez de Carvasal K, Platella C, Meyer A, Smietana M, Morvan F, Montesarchio D. Probing naphthalene diimide and 3-hydroxypropylphosphate as end-conjugating moieties for improved thrombin binding aptamers: Structural and biological effects. Bioorg Chem 2023; 141:106917. [PMID: 37865055 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
The limitations associated with the in vivo use of the thrombin binding aptamer (TBA or TBA15) have dramatically stimulated the search of suitable chemically modified analogues in order to discover effective and reversible inhibitors of thrombin activity. In this context, we previously proposed cyclic and pseudo-cyclic TBA analogues with improved stability that proved to be more active than the parent aptamer. Herein, we have investigated a novel library of TBA derivatives carrying naphthalene diimide (NDI) moieties at the 3'- or 5'-end. In a subset of the investigated oligonucleotides, additional 3-hydroxypropylphosphate (HPP) groups were introduced at one or both ends of the TBA sequence. Evaluation of the G-quadruplex thermal stability, serum nuclease resistance and in vitro anticoagulant activity of the new TBA analogues allowed rationalizing the effect of these appendages on the activity of the aptamer on the basis of their relative position. Notably, most of the different TBA analogues tested were more potent thrombin inhibitors than unmodified TBA. Particularly, the analogue carrying an NDI group at the 5'-end and an HPP group at the 3'-end, named N-TBA-p, exhibited enhanced G-quadruplex thermal stability (ΔTm + 14° C) and ca. 10-fold improved nuclease resistance in serum compared to the native aptamer. N-TBA-p also induced prolonged and dose-dependent clotting times, showing a ca. 11-fold higher anticoagulant activity compared to unmodified TBA, as determined by spectroscopic methods. Overall, N-TBA-p proved to be in vitro a more efficient thrombin inhibitor than all the best ones previously investigated in our group. Its interesting features, associated with its easy preparation, make it a very promising candidate for future in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Riccardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Kévan Pérez de Carvasal
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Chiara Platella
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Albert Meyer
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - Michael Smietana
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | - François Morvan
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, 34095 Montpellier, France.
| | - Daniela Montesarchio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy.
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20
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Roy L, Roy A, Bose D, Banerjee N, Chatterjee S. Unraveling the structural aspects of the G-quadruplex in SMO promoter and elucidating its contribution in transcriptional regulation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-16. [PMID: 37878583 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2268200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
We located a 25 nt G-rich sequence in the promoter region of SMO oncogene. We performed an array of biophysical and biochemical assays and confirmed the formation of a parallel G quadruplex (SMO1-GQ) by the identified sequence. SMO1-GQ is highly conserved in primates. For a comprehensive characterization of the SMO quadruplex structure, we have performed spectroscopic and in silico analysis with established GQ binder small molecules TMPyP4 and BRACO-19. We observed comparatively higher stable interaction of BRACO-19 with SMO1-GQ. Structure-based, rational drug design against SMO1-GQ to target SMO oncogene requires a detailed molecular anatomy of the G-quadruplex. We structurally characterised the SMO1-GQ using DMS footprinting assay and molecular modelling, docking, and MD simulation to identify the probable atomic regions that interact with either of the small molecules. We further investigated SMO1-GQ in vivo by performing chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. ChIP data revealed that this gene element functions as a scaffold for a number of transcription factors: specificity protein (Sp1), nucleolin (NCL), non-metastatic cell 2 (NM23-H2), cellular nucleic acid binding protein (CNBP), and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK) which reflects the SMO1-P1 G-quadruplex to be the master regulator of SMO1 transcriptional activity. The strong binding interaction detected between SMO1-GQ and BRACO-19 contemplates the potential of the G quadruplex as a promising anti-cancer druggable target to downregulate SMO1 oncogene driven cancers.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laboni Roy
- Department of Biological Science, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Ananya Roy
- Department of Biological Science, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Debopriya Bose
- Department of Biological Science, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Nilanjan Banerjee
- Department of Biological Science, Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
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21
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Assadawi N, Richardson C, Ralph SF. G-quadruplex DNA binding properties of novel nickel Schiff base complexes with four pendant groups. Dalton Trans 2023; 52:12646-12660. [PMID: 37622418 DOI: 10.1039/d3dt02040a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Three new nickel Schiff base complexes were prepared using a two-step procedure that involves initial selective dialkylation of 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzaldehyde, followed by reaction with 1,2-phenylenediamine and nickel(II) acetate. Each of the complexes possessed the same Schiff base core but differed in the identity of the four pendant groups. All complexes were characterised by microanalysis, NMR spectroscopy and ESI mass spectrometry. In addition, two of the complexes were also characterised in the solid state using X-ray crystallography, which confirmed the presence of a square planar geometry around the metal ion. The DNA binding properties of the three nickel complexes with double stranded DNA and a range of G-quadruplex DNA structures were explored using ESI mass spectrometry, CD spectroscopy, UV melting curves, Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) assays, Fluorescent Indicator Displacement (FID) assays and molecular docking studies. These techniques confirmed the ability of the three nickel complexes to bind to most of the DNA molecules examined, as well as stabilise the latter in several instances. In addition, the results of these investigations provided evidence that pendant groups with morpholine rings generally reduced DNA binding behaviour, whilst pendants featuring piperidine ring systems attached to the Schiff base core by three and not two methylene linkers often showed the greatest extent of binding or DNA stabilisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawal Assadawi
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong 2522, Australia.
| | - Christopher Richardson
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong 2522, Australia.
| | - Stephen F Ralph
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong 2522, Australia.
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22
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Kohn EM, Konovalov K, Gomez CA, Hoover GN, Yik AKH, Huang X, Martell JD. Terminal Alkyne-Modified DNA Aptamers with Enhanced Protein Binding Affinities. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:1976-1984. [PMID: 37531184 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based receptors, known as aptamers, are relatively fast to discover and manufacture but lack the diverse functional groups of protein receptors (e.g., antibodies). The binding properties of DNA aptamers can be enhanced by attaching abiotic functional groups; for example, aromatic groups such as naphthalene slow dissociation from proteins. Although the terminal alkyne is a π-electron-rich functional group that has been used in small molecule drugs to enhance binding to proteins through noncovalent interactions, it remains unexplored for enhancing DNA aptamer binding affinity. Here, we demonstrate the utility of the terminal alkyne for improving the binding of DNA to proteins. We prepared a library of 256 terminal-alkyne-bearing variants of HD22, a DNA aptamer that binds the protein thrombin with nanomolar affinity. After a one-step thrombin-binding selection, a high-affinity aptamer containing two alkynes was discovered, exhibiting 3.2-fold tighter thrombin binding than the corresponding unmodified sequence. The tighter binding was attributable to a slower rate of dissociation from thrombin (5.2-fold slower than HD22). Molecular dynamics simulations with enhanced sampling by Replica Exchange with Solute Tempering (REST2) suggest that the π-electron-rich alkyne interacts with an asparagine side chain N-H group on thrombin, forming a noncovalent interaction that stabilizes the aptamer-protein interface. Overall, this work represents the first case of terminal alkynes enhancing the binding properties of an aptamer and underscores the utility of the terminal alkyne as an atom economical π-electron-rich functional group to enhance binding affinity with minimal steric perturbation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Kohn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Kirill Konovalov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Theoretical Chemistry Institute, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Christian A Gomez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Gillian N Hoover
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Andrew Kai-Hei Yik
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Theoretical Chemistry Institute, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Xuhui Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Theoretical Chemistry Institute, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Jeffrey D Martell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, United States
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23
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Zhang Y, Li H, Guo Z, Wang X, Zhou N. Immobilization-free electrochemical homogeneous aptasensor for highly sensitive detection of carcinoembryonic antigen by dual amplification strategy. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1274:341586. [PMID: 37455072 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.341586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical aptasensor has been widely studied, while its practical application is limited by the unavoidable variations of aptamer loading densities and low signal amplification efficiency. To overcome these restrictions, an immobilization-free and label-free electrochemical homogeneous aptasensor was constructed for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) assay by combining RecJf exonuclease-mediated target cycling strategy and rolling circle amplification technology. In this system, the pre-immobilization of aptamers or other relevant signal elements on the electrode substrate is no longer necessary, thus the electrochemical homogeneous aptasensor shows good versatility on different transducers. Moreover, the whole recognition and signal amplification process are activated instantaneously by a non-professional operation of the solution mixture. This strategy can not only increase the stability (95.1% after 30 days of storage) and reproducibility (2.12% among five independent electrodes), but also further improve the sensitivity (detection limit of fg mL-1 level) due to the free target recognition and dual signal amplification in the homogeneous solution phase. The proposed immobilization-free electrochemical homogeneous aptasensors on different electrode substrates both achieve satisfactory results in actual sample tests, which has the potential for commercial applications and the establishment of other target platforms in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Hui Li
- The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Zongkang Guo
- The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Xiaoli Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China
| | - Nandi Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China.
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24
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Troisi R, Napolitano V, Rossitto E, Osman W, Nagano M, Wakui K, Popowicz G, Yoshimoto K, Sica F. Steric hindrance and structural flexibility shape the functional properties of a guanine-rich oligonucleotide. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:8880-8890. [PMID: 37503836 PMCID: PMC10484730 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ligand/protein molecular recognition involves a dynamic process, whereby both partners require a degree of structural plasticity to regulate the binding/unbinding event. Here, we present the characterization of the interaction between a highly dynamic G-rich oligonucleotide, M08s-1, and its target protein, human α-thrombin. M08s-1 is the most active anticoagulant aptamer selected thus far. Circular dichroism and gel electrophoresis analyses indicate that both intramolecular and intermolecular G-quadruplex structures are populated in solution. The presence of thrombin stabilises the antiparallel intramolecular chair-like G-quadruplex conformation, that provides by far the main contribution to the biological activity of the aptamer. The crystal structure of the thrombin-oligonucleotide complex reveals that M08s-1 adopts a kinked structural organization formed by a G-quadruplex domain and a long duplex module, linked by a stretch of five purine bases. The quadruplex motif hooks the exosite I region of thrombin and the duplex region is folded towards the surface of the protein. This structural feature, which has never been observed in other anti-exosite I aptamers with a shorter duplex motif, hinders the approach of a protein substrate to the active site region and may well explain the significant increase in the anticoagulant activity of M08s-1 compared to the other anti-exosite I aptamers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romualdo Troisi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples 80126, Italy
| | - Valeria Napolitano
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Biomolecular NMR and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich at Department Chemie, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
| | - Emanuele Rossitto
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples 80126, Italy
| | - Waleed Osman
- Research and Development Division, LinkBIO Co., Ltd., The ICI Center, 5270 Terada, Toride-shi, Ibaraki 302-0021, Japan
| | - Masanobu Nagano
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Koji Wakui
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Grzegorz M Popowicz
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
- Biomolecular NMR and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich at Department Chemie, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85747, Garching, Germany
| | - Keitaro Yoshimoto
- Research and Development Division, LinkBIO Co., Ltd., The ICI Center, 5270 Terada, Toride-shi, Ibaraki 302-0021, Japan
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Filomena Sica
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples 80126, Italy
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25
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Singh D, Desai N, Shah V, Datta B. In Silico Identification of Potential Quadruplex Forming Sequences in LncRNAs of Cervical Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12658. [PMID: 37628839 PMCID: PMC10454738 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as auxiliary regulators of gene expression influencing tumor microenvironment, metastasis and radio-resistance in cancer. The presence of lncRNA in extracellular fluids makes them promising diagnostic markers. LncRNAs deploy higher-order structures to facilitate a complex range of functions. Among such structures, G-quadruplexes (G4s) can be detected or targeted by small molecular probes to drive theranostic applications. The in vitro identification of G4 formation in lncRNAs can be a tedious and expensive proposition. Bioinformatics-driven strategies can provide comprehensive and economic alternatives in conjunction with suitable experimental validation. We propose a pipeline to identify G4-forming sequences, protein partners and biological functions associated with dysregulated lncRNAs in cervical cancer. We identified 17 lncRNA clusters which possess transcripts that can fold into a G4 structure. We confirmed in vitro G4 formation in the four biologically active isoforms of SNHG20, MEG3, CRNDE and LINP1 by Circular Dichroism spectroscopy and Thioflavin-T-assisted fluorescence spectroscopy and reverse-transcriptase stop assay. Gene expression data demonstrated that these four lncRNAs can be potential prognostic biomarkers of cervical cancer. Two approaches were employed for identifying G4 specific protein partners for these lncRNAs and FMR2 was a potential interacting partner for all four clusters. We report a detailed investigation of G4 formation in lncRNAs that are dysregulated in cervical cancer. LncRNAs MEG3, CRNDE, LINP1 and SNHG20 are shown to influence cervical cancer progression and we report G4 specific protein partners for these lncRNAs. The protein partners and G4s predicted in lncRNAs can be exploited for theranostic objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepshikha Singh
- Department of Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar 382355, India; (D.S.); (N.D.); (V.S.)
| | - Nakshi Desai
- Department of Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar 382355, India; (D.S.); (N.D.); (V.S.)
| | - Viraj Shah
- Department of Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar 382355, India; (D.S.); (N.D.); (V.S.)
| | - Bhaskar Datta
- Department of Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar 382355, India; (D.S.); (N.D.); (V.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar 382355, India
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26
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Sabatucci A, Girella A, Di Bartolomeo M, Pucci M, Vismara M, Benatti B, Blacksell IA, Cooper D, Dainese E, D'Acquisto F, Dell'Osso B, D'Addario C. A possible role for G-quadruplexes formation and DNA methylation at IMOOD gene promoter in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Adv Biol Regul 2023; 89:100976. [PMID: 37572394 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbior.2023.100976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition still classified and diagnosed with subjective interview-based assessments and which molecular clues have not completely been elucidated. We have recently identified a new regulator of anxiety and OCD-like behavior called Immuno-moodulin (IMOOD) and, here, we report that IMOOD gene promoter is differentially methylated in OCD subjects when compared to genomic material collected from healthy controls and this alteration is significantly correlated with the increased expression of the gene in OCD. We also demonstrated that IMOOD promoter can form G-quadruplexes and we suggest that, in homeostatic conditions, these structures could evoke DNA-methylation silencing the gene, whereas in pathological conditions, like OCD, could induce gene expression making the promoter more accessible to transcriptional factors. We here thus further suggest IMOOD as a new biomarker for OCD and also hypothesize new mechanisms of gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalaura Sabatucci
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Antonio Girella
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Martina Di Bartolomeo
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Mariangela Pucci
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy; Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Matteo Vismara
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Beatrice Benatti
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
| | - Isobel Alice Blacksell
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Dianne Cooper
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Enrico Dainese
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Fulvio D'Acquisto
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK; School of Life and Health Science, University of Roehampton, London, SW15, 4JD, UK
| | - Bernardo Dell'Osso
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Luigi Sacco, University of Milan, Milano, Italy; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco", Psychiatry Unit 2, ASST Sacco-Fatebenefratelli, Via G.B. Grassi, 74, 20157, Milan, Italy.
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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27
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Guan L, Zhou Y, Li X, Mao Y, Li A, Fu Y, Liu W, Dong S, Liang Z, Zhang Y, Zhao Q, Zhang L. ON-OFF Fluorescent Cyanine Dye Based on a Benzothiophenyl Rotor Enables Selective Illumination of G-Quadruplexes in Mitochondria. Anal Chem 2023. [PMID: 37290004 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Conventional cyanine dyes exist as "always-on" fluorescent probes leading to inevitable background signals which often limit their performance and scope of applications. To develop specific fluorescent probes with high sensitivity and robust OFF/ON switching for targeting G4s, we introduced aromatic heterocycles through conjugation with polymethine chains to construct a rotor-π system. Here, a universal strategy is presented to synthesize pentamethine cyanines with different aromatic heterocycle substituents on the meso-polymethine chain. In these probes, SN-Cy5-S is self-quenched in aqueous solution due to H-aggregation. The structure indicates that SN-Cy5-S with a flexible meso-benzothiophenyl rotor conjugated to the cyanine backbone matches adaptively with G-tetrad planes, enhancing π-π stacking and resulting in triggered fluorescence. This allows recognition of G-quadruplexes due to the synergy of disaggregation-induced emission (DIE) and inhibited twisted intramolecular charge-transfer effects. This combination leads to a robust lighting-up fluorescence response for c-myc G4 with superior fluorescence enhancement (98-fold), allowing for a low detection limit of 1.51 nM, which is much more sensitive than the previously reported DIE-based G4 probes (22-83.5 nM). In addition, the superior imaging properties and rapid internalization time (5 min) in mitochondria allow SN-Cy5-S to also have a high potential for mitochondrially targeting anti-cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Guan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Yanyan Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Xiao Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Yongbao Mao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Anyang Li
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China
| | - Yile Fu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Wen Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Sheying Dong
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China
| | - Zhen Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Yukui Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Qun Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
| | - Lihua Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China
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28
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D'Amico F, Graziano R, D'Aria F, Russomanno P, Di Fonzo S, Amato J, Pagano B. Cytosine epigenetic modifications and conformational changes in G-quadruplex DNA: An ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy study. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2023; 300:122901. [PMID: 37244027 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.122901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications of DNA are known to play important regulatory roles in biological systems, especially in regulation of gene expression, and are associated with many types of human diseases, including cancer. Alternative DNA secondary structures, such as G-quadruplexes, can also influence gene transcription, thus suggesting that such structures may represent a distinctive layer of epigenetic information. G-quadruplex structures and DNA epigenetic modifications often go side by side, and recent evidence reveals that cytosine modifications within loops of G-quadruplexes can play a role in modulating their stability and structural polymorphism. Therefore, the development and validation of experimental techniques that can easily and reliably analyse G-quadruplex structures are highly desirable. In the present study, we propose to exploit the advantages of UV resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy to investigate cytosine epigenetic modifications along with conformational changes in G-quadruplex-forming DNA. Our findings show that clear and specific spectral changes occur when there is a change in a G-quadruplex structure. Moreover, UVRR spectral analysis can indirectly distinguish the spectral variations occurring because of modifications in the guanine glycosidic conformations, as well as detect changes in the loops induced by H-bond formation or hydration of nitrogenous bases. The results further underscore the utility of UVRR spectroscopy for G-quadruplex structure elucidation under biologically relevant solution conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco D'Amico
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S. C. p. A., Science Park, Trieste I-34149, Italy
| | - Raffaele Graziano
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Federica D'Aria
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Pasquale Russomanno
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Silvia Di Fonzo
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S. C. p. A., Science Park, Trieste I-34149, Italy
| | - Jussara Amato
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Bruno Pagano
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy.
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29
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Dobrovodský D, Di Primo C. Do conformational changes contribute to the surface plasmon resonance signal? Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 232:115296. [PMID: 37079993 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
Surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based biosensors are widely used instruments for characterizing molecular interactions. In theory the SPR signal depends only on mass changes for interacting molecules of same chemical nature. Whether conformational changes of interacting molecules also contribute to the SPR signal is still a subject of lively debates. Works have been published claiming that conformational changes were detected but all factors contributing to the SPR signal were not carefully considered, in addition to often using no or improper controls. In the present work we used a very well-characterized oligonucleotide, the thrombin-binding DNA aptamer (TBA), which upon binding of potassium ions folds into a two G-tetrad antiparallel G-quadruplex structure. All terms contributing to the maximal expected SPR response, Rmax, in particular the refractive index increment, RII, of both partners and the fraction of immobilized TBA target available, ca, were experimentally assessed. The resulting Rmax was then compared to the maximal experimental SPR response for potassium ions binding to TBA using appropriate controls. Regardless how the RIIs were measured, by SPR or refractometry, and how much TBA available for interacting with potassium ions was considered, the theoretical and the experimental SPR responses never matched, the former being always lower than the latter. Using a straightforward experimental model system and by thoroughly taking into account all contributing factors we therefore conclude that conformational changes can indeed contribute to the measured SPR signal.
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30
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Asha H, Green JA, Esposito L, Santoro F, Improta R. Computing the electronic circular dichroism spectrum of DNA quadruple helices of different topology: A critical test for a generalized excitonic model based on a fragment diabatization. Chirality 2023; 35:298-310. [PMID: 36775278 DOI: 10.1002/chir.23540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we exploit a recently developed fragment diabatization-based excitonic model, FrDEx, to simulate the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra of three guanine-rich DNA sequences arranged in guanine quadruple helices with different topologies: thrombin binding aptamer (antiparallel), c-Myc promoter (parallel), and human telomeric sequence (3+1 hybrid). Starting from time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations with the M052X functional, we apply our protocol to parameterize the FrDEX Hamiltonian, which accounts for electron density overlap and includes both the coupling with charge transfer transitions and the effect of the surrounding bases on the local excitation of each chromophore. The TD-DFT/M052X spectral shapes are in good agreement with the experimental ones, the main source of discrepancy being related to the intrinsic error on the computed transition energies of guanine monomer. FrDEx spectra are fairly close to the reference TD-DFT ones, allowing a significant advance with respect to a more standard excitonic Hamiltonian. We also show that the ECD spectra are sensitive to the inclusion of the inner K + $$ {}^{+} $$ cation in the calculation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haritha Asha
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, CNR, Napoli, Italy
| | - James A Green
- Institut für Physikalische Theoretische Chemie, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Fabrizio Santoro
- Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organometallici (ICCOM-CNR), Area della Ricerca del CNR, Pisa, Italy
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31
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Wagh AA, Kumar VA, Ravindranathan S, Fernandes M. Unlike RNA-TBA (rTBA), iso-rTBA, the 2'-5'-linked RNA-thrombin-binding aptamer, is a functional equivalent of TBA. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:1461-1464. [PMID: 36651344 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc05718b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
An antiparallel, functional RNA G-quadruplex of the 2'-5'-linked thrombin-binding aptamer (iso-rTBA) is reported for the first time. It can inhibit clotting and is remarkably stable to nuclease-degradation, besides having high thermal stability. It is thus, a superior candidate to TBA, rTBA or isoTBA, for further development as an anticoagulant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atish A Wagh
- Organic Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune 411008, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Vaijayanti A Kumar
- Organic Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune 411008, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Sapna Ravindranathan
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.,Central NMR Facility, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune 411008, India
| | - Moneesha Fernandes
- Organic Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune 411008, India. .,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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32
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Kristoffersen E, Coletta A, Lund L, Schiøtt B, Birkedal V. Inhibited complete folding of consecutive human telomeric G-quadruplexes. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:1571-1582. [PMID: 36715345 PMCID: PMC9976873 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Noncanonical DNA structures, termed G-quadruplexes, are present in human genomic DNA and are important elements in many DNA metabolic processes. Multiple sites in the human genome have G-rich DNA stretches able to support formation of several consecutive G-quadruplexes. One of those sites is the telomeric overhang region that has multiple repeats of TTAGGG and is tightly associated with both cancer and aging. We investigated the folding of consecutive G-quadruplexes in both potassium- and sodium-containing solutions using single-molecule FRET spectroscopy, circular dichroism, thermal melting and molecular dynamics simulations. Our observations show coexistence of partially and fully folded DNA, the latter consisting of consecutive G-quadruplexes. Following the folding process over hours in sodium-containing buffers revealed fast G-quadruplex folding but slow establishment of thermodynamic equilibrium. We find that full consecutive G-quadruplex formation is inhibited by the many DNA structures randomly nucleating on the DNA, some of which are off-path conformations that need to unfold to allow full folding. Our study allows describing consecutive G-quadruplex formation in both nonequilibrium and equilibrium conditions by a unified picture, where, due to the many possible DNA conformations, full folding with consecutive G-quadruplexes as beads on a string is not necessarily achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Laust Kristoffersen
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Andrea Coletta
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Line Mørkholt Lund
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Birgit Schiøtt
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark,Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
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33
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Spiridonova VA, Naumova YO, Nikolaeva PA, Novikova TM, Kolomijtseva GY. Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Unfolding of Antiparallel G-Quadruplexes in Anti-Thrombin Aptamers. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:1292-1300. [PMID: 36509716 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922110086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The process of unfolding of G-quadruplex structure in the RE31 DNA-aptamer and in its complex with thrombin under the action of the fluorescently labeled complementary oligonucleotides of varying length with formation of double-helix structures has been studied. It has been suggested that G-quadruplex unfolding involves formation of an intermediate complex with an oligonucleotide. Thermodynamic parameters and kinetics of unfolding of the free aptamer and its complex with thrombin differ. Extension of the oligonucleotide sequence complementary to G-quadruplex by two nucleotides to cover the so-called "hinge region" had little impact on the conformational transition of G-quadruplex of the free aptamer. However, a pronounced effect has been observed for the aptamer-protein complex. Most likely these differences could be explained by the thrombin-induced conformational transition of the aptamer involving the hinge region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera A Spiridonova
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Yulia O Naumova
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Polina A Nikolaeva
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Tatiana M Novikova
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Galina Ya Kolomijtseva
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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34
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Riccardi C, D’Aria F, Fasano D, Digilio FA, Carillo MR, Amato J, De Rosa L, Paladino S, Melone MAB, Montesarchio D, Giancola C. Truncated Analogues of a G-Quadruplex-Forming Aptamer Targeting Mutant Huntingtin: Shorter Is Better! Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012412. [PMID: 36293267 PMCID: PMC9604342 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Two analogues of the MS3 aptamer, which was previously shown to have an exquisite capability to selectively bind and modulate the activity of mutant huntingtin (mHTT), have been here designed and evaluated in their physicochemical and biological properties. Featured by a distinctive propensity to form complex G-quadruplex structures, including large multimeric aggregates, the original 36-mer MS3 has been truncated to give a 33-mer (here named MS3-33) and a 17-mer (here named MS3-17). A combined use of different techniques (UV, CD, DSC, gel electrophoresis) allowed a detailed physicochemical characterization of these novel G-quadruplex-forming aptamers, tested in vitro on SH-SY5Y cells and in vivo on a Drosophila Huntington’s disease model, in which these shorter MS3-derived oligonucleotides proved to have improved bioactivity in comparison with the parent aptamer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Riccardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Federica D’Aria
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Dominga Fasano
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, Center for Rare Diseases and InterUniversity Center for Research in Neurosciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Filomena Anna Digilio
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), UOS Naples-CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Carillo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Jussara Amato
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Laura De Rosa
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Paladino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Mariarosa Anna Beatrice Melone
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, Center for Rare Diseases and InterUniversity Center for Research in Neurosciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122-6078, USA
| | - Daniela Montesarchio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.M.); (C.G.)
| | - Concetta Giancola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.M.); (C.G.)
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35
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Olejko L, Dutta A, Shahsavar K, Bald I. Influence of Different Salts on the G-Quadruplex Structure Formed from the Reversed Human Telomeric DNA Sequence. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012206. [PMID: 36293060 PMCID: PMC9602856 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
G-rich telomeric DNA plays a major role in the stabilization of chromosomes and can fold into a plethora of different G-quadruplex structures in the presence of mono- and divalent cations. The reversed human telomeric DNA sequence (5′-(GGG ATT)4; RevHumTel) was previously shown to have interesting properties that can be exploited for chemical sensing and as a chemical switch in DNA nanotechnology. Here, we analyze the specific G-quadruplex structures formed by RevHumTel in the presence of K+, Na+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ cations using circular dichroism spectroscopy (CDS) and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) based on fluorescence lifetimes. CDS is able to reveal strand and loop orientations, whereas FRET gives information about the distances between the 5′-end and the 3′-end, and also, the number of G-quadruplex species formed. Based on this combined information we derived specific G-quadruplex structures formed from RevHumTel, i.e., a chair-type and a hybrid-type G-quadruplex structure formed in presence of K+, whereas Na+ induces the formation of up to three different G-quadruplexes (a basket-type, a propeller-type and a hybrid-type structure). In the presence of Mg2+ and Ca2+ two different parallel G-quadruplexes are formed (one of which is a propeller-type structure). This study will support the fundamental understanding of the G-quadruplex formation in different environments and a rational design of G-quadruplex-based applications in sensing and nanotechnology.
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36
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Selective light-up of dimeric G-quadruplex forming aptamers for efficient VEGF165 detection. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 224:344-357. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.10.128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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37
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Nandi S, Coane C, Villegas AE, Ray A, Di Felice R. The impact of G-quadruplex dynamics on inter-tetrad electronic couplings: a hybrid computational study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:22513-22522. [PMID: 36106845 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp03505g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The G-quadruplex is a fascinating nucleic acid motif with implications in biology, medicine, and nanotechnologies. G-quadruplexes can form in the telomeres at the edges of chromosomes and in other guanine-rich regions of the genome. They can also be engineered for exploitation as biological materials for nanodevices. Their higher stiffness and higher charge transfer rates make them better candidates in nanodevices than duplex DNA. For the development of molecular nanowires, it is important to optimize electron transport along the wire axis. One powerful basis to do so is by manipulating the structure, based on known effects that structural changes have on electron transport. Here, we investigate such effects, by a combination of classical simulations of the structure and dynamics and quantum calculations of electronic couplings. We find that this structure-function relationship is complex. A single helix shape parameter alone does not embody such complexity, but rather a combination of distances and angles between stacked bases influences charge transfer efficiency. By analyzing linear combinations of shape descriptors for different topologies, we identify the structural features that most affect charge transfer efficiency. We discuss the transferability of the proposed model and the limiting effects of inherent flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samprita Nandi
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
| | - Colin Coane
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
| | - Angel-Emilio Villegas
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
| | - Angana Ray
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
| | - Rosa Di Felice
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. .,Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.,CNR Institute of Nanoscience, 41125 Modena, Italy
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38
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Xu Q, Yang M, Chang Y, Peng S, Wang D, Zhou X, Shao Y. Switching G-quadruplex to parallel duplex by molecular rotor clustering. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:10249-10263. [PMID: 36130267 PMCID: PMC9561263 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Switching of G-quadruplex (G4) structures between variant types of folding has been proved to be a versatile tool for regulation of genomic expression and development of nucleic acid-based constructs. Various specific ligands have been developed to target G4s in K+ solution with therapeutic prospects. Although G4 structures have been reported to be converted by sequence modification or a unimolecular ligand binding event in K+-deficient conditions, switching G4s towards non-G4 folding continues to be a great challenge due to the stability of G4 in physiological K+ conditions. Herein, we first observed the G4 switching towards parallel-stranded duplex (psDNA) by multimolecular ligand binding (namely ligand clustering) to overcome the switching barrier in K+. Purine-rich sequences (e.g. those from the KRAS promoter region) can be converted from G4 structures to dimeric psDNAs using molecular rotors (e.g. thioflavin T and thiazole orange) as initiators. The formed psDNAs provided multiple binding sites for molecular rotor clustering to favor subsequent structures with stability higher than the corresponding G4 folding. Our finding provides a clue to designing ligands with the competency of molecular rotor clustering to implement an efficient G4 switching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuda Xu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Mujing Yang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Yun Chang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Shuzhen Peng
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Dandan Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Xiaoshun Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China
| | - Yong Shao
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Advanced Catalysis Materials, College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China
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39
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Oblak D, Hadži S, Podlipnik Č, Lah J. Binding-Induced Diversity of a Human Telomeric G-Quadruplex Stability Phase Space. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15091150. [PMID: 36145371 PMCID: PMC9501445 DOI: 10.3390/ph15091150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The structural polymorphism of G-quadruplex nucleic acids is an important factor in their recognition by proteins and small-molecule ligands. However, it is not clear why the binding of several ligands alters G-quadruplex topology. We addressed this question by following the (un)folding and binding of the human telomeric fragment 5′-(GGGTTA)3GGGT-3′ (22GT) by calorimetry (DSC, ITC) and spectroscopy (CD). A thermodynamic analysis of the obtained data led to a detailed description of the topological phase space of stability (phase diagram) of 22GT and shows how it changes in the presence of a specific bisquinolinium ligand (360A). Various 1:1 and 2:1 ligand–quadruplex complexes were observed. With increasing temperature, the 1:1 complexes transformed into 2:1 complexes, which is attributed to the preferential binding of the ligand to the folding intermediates. Overall, the dissection of the thermodynamic parameters in combination with molecular modelling clarified the driving forces of the topological quadruplex transformations in a wide range of ligand concentrations and temperatures.
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40
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McCarte B, Yeung OT, Speakman AJ, Elfick A, Dunn KE. Using ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy to study nanoswitches based on non-canonical DNA structures. Biochem Biophys Rep 2022; 31:101293. [PMID: 35677630 PMCID: PMC9167695 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2022.101293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-canonical forms of DNA are attracting increasing interest for applications in nanotechnology. It is frequently convenient to characterize DNA molecules using a label-free approach such as ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy. In this paper we present the results of our investigation into the use of this technique to probe the folding of quadruplex and triplex nanoswitches. We confirmed that four G-quartets were necessary for folding at sub-mM concentrations of potassium and found that the wrong choice of sequence for the linker between G-tracts could dramatically disrupt folding, presumably due to the presence of kinetic traps in the folding landscape. In the case of the triplex nanoswitch we examined, we found that the UV spectrum showed a small change in absorbance when a triplex was formed. We anticipate that our results will be of interest to researchers seeking to design DNA nanoswitches based on quadruplexes and triplexes. Ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy can probe non-canonical DNA structures. Absorbance at 295 nm tends to increase as G-quadruplexes form. Four G-quartets are needed to form a quadruplex with less than 1 mM potassium. Formation of DNA triplexes can also yield a small change in UV spectra. UV absorption is a cheap label-free method for studying DNA nanoswitches.
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41
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Chang T, Li G, Ding Z, Li W, Zhu P, Lei W, Shangguan D. Potential G-quadruplexes within the Promoter Nuclease Hypersensitive Sites of the Heat-responsive Genes in Rice. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202200405. [PMID: 36006168 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) have been shown to be involved in the regulation of multiple cellular processes. Exploring putative G4-forming sequences (PQSs) in heat-responsive genes of rice and their folding structures under different conditions will help to understand the mechanism in response to heat stress. In this work, we discovered a prevalence of PQSs in nuclease hypersensitive sites within the promoters of heat-responsive genes. Moreover, 50% of the searched G3 PQSs ((G3+L1-7)3+G3+) locate in heat shock transcription factors. Circular dichroism spectroscopy, thermal difference spectroscopy, and UV melting analysis demonstrated the representative PQSs could adopt stable G4s at physiological temperature and potassium concentration. These PQSs were able to stall Klenow Fragment (KF) DNA polymerase by the formation of G4s. However, the G4s with Tm values around 50 - 60 oC could be increasingly unwound by KF with the increase of temperatures from 25 to 50 oC, implying these G4s could sense the changes in temperature by structural switch. This work offers fresh clue to understand the potential of G4-involved functions of PQSs and the molecular events in plants in the response to heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianjun Chang
- Henan Polytechnic University, Institute of Enveiroment and Resoures, 2001 Shiji Avenue, 454003, Jiaozuo, CHINA
| | - Guangping Li
- Henan Polytechnic University, Institute of Resources and Environment, CHINA
| | - Zhan Ding
- Henan Polytechnic University, Institute of Resources and Environment, CHINA
| | - Weiguo Li
- Henan Polytechnic University, Institute of Resources and Environment, CHINA
| | - Panpan Zhu
- Henan Polytechnic University, Institute of Resources and Environment, CHINA
| | - Wei Lei
- Henan Polytechnic University, Institute of Resources and Environment, CHINA
| | - Dihua Shangguan
- Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Labor-atory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, CAS Re-search/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences, CHINA
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42
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Roxo C, Pasternak A. Changes in physicochemical and anticancer properties modulated by chemically modified sugar moieties within sequence-related G-quadruplex structures. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273528. [PMID: 35998148 PMCID: PMC9397905 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We systematically investigated the influence of locked nucleic acid (LNA), unlock nucleic acid (UNA), and 2’-O-methyl-RNA (2’-O-Me-RNA) residues on the thermal stability, structure folding topology, biological activity and enzymatic resistance of three sequence-related DNA G-quadruplexes. In order to better understand the mechanism of action of the studied modifications, a single-position substitution in the loops or G-tetrads was performed and their influence was analyzed for a total of twenty-seven modified G-quadruplex variants. The studies show that the influence of each modification on the physicochemical properties of G-quadruplexes is position-dependent, due to mutual interactions between G-tetrads, loops, and additional guanosine at 5’ or 3’ end. Nevertheless, the anticancer activity of the modified G-quadruplexes is determined by their structure, thus also by the local changes of chemical character of sugar moieties, what might influence the specific interactions with therapeutic targets. In general, UNA modifications are efficient modulators of the G-quadruplex thermodynamic stability, however they are poor tools to improve the anticancer properties. In contrast, LNA and 2’-O-Me-RNA modified G-quadruplexes demonstrated certain antiproliferative potential and might be used as molecular tools for designing novel G-quadruplex-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Roxo
- Department of Nucleic Acids Bioengineering, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Anna Pasternak
- Department of Nucleic Acids Bioengineering, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- * E-mail:
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43
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Chang-Gu B, Venkatesan S, Russell R. Kinetics measurements of G-quadruplex binding and unfolding by helicases. Methods 2022; 204:1-13. [PMID: 35483547 PMCID: PMC10034854 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2022.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplex structures (G4s) form readily in DNA and RNA and play diverse roles in gene expression and other processes, and their inappropriate formation and stabilization are linked to human diseases. G4s are inherently long-lived, such that their timely unfolding depends on a suite of DNA and RNA helicase proteins. Biochemical analysis of G4 binding and unfolding by individual helicase proteins is important for establishing their levels of activity, affinity, and specificity for G4s, including individual G4s of varying sequence and structure. Here we describe a set of simple, accessible methods in which electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) are used to measure the kinetics of G4 binding, dissociation, and unfolding by helicase proteins. We focus on practical considerations and the pitfalls that are most likely to arise when these methods are used to study the activities of helicases on G4s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce Chang-Gu
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX 78712, United States
| | - Sneha Venkatesan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX 78712, United States
| | - Rick Russell
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX 78712, United States.
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Dubrovin EV, Barinov NA, Klinov DV. Visualization of G-Quadruplexes, i-Motifs and Their Associates. Acta Naturae 2022; 14:4-18. [PMID: 36348720 PMCID: PMC9611856 DOI: 10.32607/actanaturae.11705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The non-canonical structures formed by G- or C-rich DNA regions, such as quadruplexes and i-motifs, as well as their associates, have recently been attracting increasing attention both because of the arguments in favor of their existence in vivo and their potential application in nanobiotechnology. When studying the structure and properties of non-canonical forms of DNA, as well as when controlling the artificially created architectures based on them, visualization plays an important role. This review analyzes the methods used to visualize quadruplexes, i-motifs, and their associates with high spatial resolution: fluorescence microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The key approaches to preparing specimens for the visualization of this type of structures are presented. Examples of visualization of non-canonical DNA structures having various morphologies, such as G-wires, G-loops, as well as individual quadruplexes, i-motifs and their associates, are considered. The potential for using AFM for visualizing non-canonical DNA structures is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. V. Dubrovin
- M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Physics, Moscow, 119991 Russia
| | - N. A. Barinov
- M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Physics, Moscow, 119991 Russia
| | - D. V. Klinov
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, 119435 Russia
- Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, 117198 Russia
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45
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Xu B, Zhu Y, Cao C, Chen H, Jin Q, Li G, Ma J, Yang SL, Zhao J, Zhu J, Ding Y, Fang X, Jin Y, Kwok CK, Ren A, Wan Y, Wang Z, Xue Y, Zhang H, Zhang QC, Zhou Y. Recent advances in RNA structurome. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:1285-1324. [PMID: 35717434 PMCID: PMC9206424 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-2116-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
RNA structures are essential to support RNA functions and regulation in various biological processes. Recently, a range of novel technologies have been developed to decode genome-wide RNA structures and novel modes of functionality across a wide range of species. In this review, we summarize key strategies for probing the RNA structurome and discuss the pros and cons of representative technologies. In particular, these new technologies have been applied to dissect the structural landscape of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome. We also summarize the functionalities of RNA structures discovered in different regulatory layers-including RNA processing, transport, localization, and mRNA translation-across viruses, bacteria, animals, and plants. We review many versatile RNA structural elements in the context of different physiological and pathological processes (e.g., cell differentiation, stress response, and viral replication). Finally, we discuss future prospects for RNA structural studies to map the RNA structurome at higher resolution and at the single-molecule and single-cell level, and to decipher novel modes of RNA structures and functions for innovative applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Xu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yanda Zhu
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Changchang Cao
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Qiongli Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Guangnan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Junfeng Ma
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Siwy Ling Yang
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jieyu Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jianghui Zhu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yiliang Ding
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, United Kingdom.
| | - Xianyang Fang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Yongfeng Jin
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Chun Kit Kwok
- Department of Chemistry, and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518057, China.
| | - Aiming Ren
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Yue Wan
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Zhiye Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Yuanchao Xue
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Huakun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China.
| | - Qiangfeng Cliff Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology and Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, 100084, China.
| | - Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China.
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New insights into the effect of molecular crowding environment induced by dimethyl sulfoxide on the conformation and stability of G-quadruplex. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.07.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Santos T, Lopes-Nunes J, Alexandre D, Miranda A, Figueiredo J, Silva MS, Mergny JL, Cruz C. Stabilization of a DNA aptamer by ligand binding. Biochimie 2022; 200:8-18. [PMID: 35550917 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
G-rich aptamers such as AS1411 are small oligonucleotides that present several benefits comparatively to monoclonal antibodies, since they are easier to manufacture and store, have small size and do not stimulate an immune response. We analyzed AT11-B1, a modified sequence of AT11 (itself a modified version of AS1411), in which one thymine was removed from the bulge region. We studied G-quadruplex (G4) formation/stabilization using PhenDC3, PDS, BRACO-19, TMPyP4 and 360A ligands by different biophysical techniques, namely circular dichroism (CD), Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET-melting) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The CD spectra showed that AT11-B1 adopts a predominant G4 of parallel topology when the buffer contains KCl or when ligands are added. PhenDC3 induced a ΔTm of 30 °C or more of the G4 structure as shown by CD- and FRET-melting experiments. The ligands demonstrate high affinity for AT11-B1 G4 and the NMR studies revealed that the AT11-B1 G4 involves four G-tetrad layers. The in silico studies suggest that all ligands bind AT11-B1 G4, namely, by stacking interactions, except PDS that may bind to the loop/groove interface. In addition, molecular dynamics simulations revealed that nucleolin (NCL) interacts with the AT11-B1 G4 structure through the RNA binding domain (RBD) 2 and the 12-residue linker between RBD1,2. Moreover, AT11-B1 G4 was internalized into a NCL-positive tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line. In a nutshell, this study may help the identification of the ligands scaffolds to bind and stabilize AT11-B1, improving the targeting towards NCL that is overexpressed in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Santos
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Jéssica Lopes-Nunes
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Daniela Alexandre
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - André Miranda
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Joana Figueiredo
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Micael S Silva
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Jean-Louis Mergny
- Institute of Biophysics of the CAS, v.v.i, Královopolská 135, 612 65, Brno, Czech Republic; Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91128, Palaiseau, France
| | - Carla Cruz
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, Covilhã, Portugal.
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Gratal P, Arias-Pérez MS, Gude L. 1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline carbohydrate conjugates: synthesis, DNA interactions and cytotoxic activity. Bioorg Chem 2022; 125:105851. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Riccardi C, D’Aria F, Digilio FA, Carillo MR, Amato J, Fasano D, De Rosa L, Paladino S, Melone MAB, Montesarchio D, Giancola C. Fighting the Huntington's Disease with a G-Quadruplex-Forming Aptamer Specifically Binding to Mutant Huntingtin Protein: Biophysical Characterization, In Vitro and In Vivo Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:4804. [PMID: 35563194 PMCID: PMC9101412 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A set of guanine-rich aptamers able to preferentially recognize full-length huntingtin with an expanded polyglutamine tract has been recently identified, showing high efficacy in modulating the functions of the mutated protein in a variety of cell experiments. We here report a detailed biophysical characterization of the best aptamer in the series, named MS3, proved to adopt a stable, parallel G-quadruplex structure and show high nuclease resistance in serum. Confocal microscopy experiments on HeLa and SH-SY5Y cells, as models of non-neuronal and neuronal cells, respectively, showed a rapid, dose-dependent uptake of fluorescein-labelled MS3, demonstrating its effective internalization, even in the absence of transfecting agents, with no general cytotoxicity. Then, using a well-established Drosophila melanogaster model for Huntington's disease, which expresses the mutated form of human huntingtin, a significant improvement in the motor neuronal function in flies fed with MS3 was observed, proving the in vivo efficacy of this aptamer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Riccardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Federica D’Aria
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.D.); (J.A.)
| | - Filomena Anna Digilio
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), UOS Naples-CNR, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.A.D.); (M.R.C.)
| | - Maria Rosaria Carillo
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), UOS Naples-CNR, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.A.D.); (M.R.C.)
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Napoli, Italy
| | - Jussara Amato
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.D.); (J.A.)
| | - Dominga Fasano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (D.F.); (L.D.R.); (S.P.)
- Center for Rare Diseases and Inter University Center for Research in Neurosciences, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Laura De Rosa
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (D.F.); (L.D.R.); (S.P.)
| | - Simona Paladino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (D.F.); (L.D.R.); (S.P.)
| | - Mariarosa Anna Beatrice Melone
- Center for Rare Diseases and Inter University Center for Research in Neurosciences, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Napoli, Italy;
- Center for Biotechnology, Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Daniela Montesarchio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Concetta Giancola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.D.); (J.A.)
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50
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Monsen RC, DeLeeuw LW, Dean WL, Gray RD, Chakravarthy S, Hopkins JB, Chaires JB, Trent JO. Long promoter sequences form higher-order G-quadruplexes: an integrative structural biology study of c-Myc, k-Ras and c-Kit promoter sequences. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:4127-4147. [PMID: 35325198 PMCID: PMC9023277 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We report on higher-order G-quadruplex structures adopted by long promoter sequences obtained by an iterative integrated structural biology approach. Our approach uses quantitative biophysical tools (analytical ultracentrifugation, small-angle X-ray scattering, and circular dichroism spectroscopy) combined with modeling and molecular dynamics simulations, to derive self-consistent structural models. The formal resolution of our approach is 18 angstroms, but in some cases structural features of only a few nucleotides can be discerned. We report here five structures of long (34-70 nt) wild-type sequences selected from three cancer-related promoters: c-Myc, c-Kit and k-Ras. Each sequence studied has a unique structure. Three sequences form structures with two contiguous, stacked, G-quadruplex units. One longer sequence from c-Myc forms a structure with three contiguous stacked quadruplexes. A longer c-Kit sequence forms a quadruplex-hairpin structure. Each structure exhibits interfacial regions between stacked quadruplexes or novel loop geometries that are possible druggable targets. We also report methodological advances in our integrated structural biology approach, which now includes quantitative CD for counting stacked G-tetrads, DNaseI cleavage for hairpin detection and SAXS model refinement. Our results suggest that higher-order quadruplex assemblies may be a common feature within the genome, rather than simple single quadruplex structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert C Monsen
- UofL Health Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Lynn W DeLeeuw
- UofL Health Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - William L Dean
- UofL Health Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Robert D Gray
- UofL Health Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - Srinivas Chakravarthy
- The Biophysics Collaborative Access Team (BioCAT), Department of Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
| | - Jesse B Hopkins
- The Biophysics Collaborative Access Team (BioCAT), Department of Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
| | - Jonathan B Chaires
- UofL Health Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
| | - John O Trent
- UofL Health Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA
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