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Pavc D, Sebastian N, Spindler L, Drevenšek-Olenik I, Podboršek GK, Plavec J, Šket P. Understanding self-assembly at molecular level enables controlled design of DNA G-wires of different properties. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1062. [PMID: 35217667 PMCID: PMC8881451 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28726-6] [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: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A possible engineering of materials with diverse bio- and nano-applications relies on robust self-assembly of oligonucleotides. Bottom-up approach utilizing guanine-rich DNA oligonucleotides can lead to formation of G-wires, nanostructures consisting of continuous stacks of G-quartets. However, G-wire structure and self-assembly process remain poorly understood, although they are crucial for optimizing properties needed for specific applications. Herein, we use nuclear magnetic resonance to get insights at molecular level on how chosen short, guanine-rich oligonucleotides self-assemble into G-wires, whereas complementary methods are used for their characterization. Additionally, unravelling mechanistic details enable us to guide G-wire self-assembly in a controlled manner. MD simulations provide insight why loop residues with considerably different properties, i.e., hydrogen-bond affinity, stacking interactions, electronic effects and hydrophobicity extensively increase or decrease G-wire length. Our results provide fundamental understanding of G-wire self-assembly process useful for future design of nanomaterials with specific properties. G-wire structures have potential applications in bio-nanotechnology, however, this is limited by a lack of understanding about the assembly process and structures formed. Here, the authors use nuclear magnetic resonance and molecular dynamic simulations to understand the guiding principles of G-wire assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daša Pavc
- Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nerea Sebastian
- Department of Complex Matter, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Lea Spindler
- Department of Complex Matter, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Irena Drevenšek-Olenik
- Department of Complex Matter, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gorazd Koderman Podboršek
- Department of Materials Chemistry, National Institute of Chemistry, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Janez Plavec
- Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,EN-FIST, Center of Excellence, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Primož Šket
- Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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Supramolecular Polymorphism of (G 4C 2) n Repeats Associated with ALS and FTD. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094532. [PMID: 33926081 PMCID: PMC8123662 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Guanine-rich DNA sequences self-assemble into highly stable fourfold structures known as DNA-quadruplexes (or G-quadruplexes). G-quadruplexes have furthermore the tendency to associate into one-dimensional supramolecular aggregates termed G-wires. We studied the formation of G-wires in solutions of the sequences d(G4C2)n with n = 1, 2, and 4. The d(G4C2)n repeats, which are associated with some fatal neurological disorders, especially amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), represent a challenging research topic due to their extensive structural polymorphism. We used dynamic light scattering (DLS) to measure translational diffusion coefficients and consequently resolve the length of the larger aggregates formed in solution. We found that all three sequences assemble into longer structures than previously reported. The d(G4C2) formed extremely long G-wires with lengths beyond 80 nm. The d(G4C2)2 formed a relatively short stacked dimeric quadruplex, while d(G4C2)4 formed multimers corresponding to seven stacked intramolecular quadruplexes. Profound differences between the multimerization properties of the investigated sequences were also confirmed by the AFM imaging of surface films. We propose that π-π stacking of the basic G-quadruplex units plays a vital role in the multimerization mechanism, which might be relevant for transformation from the regular medium-length to disease-related long d(G4C2)n repeats.
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Troha T, Drevenšek-Olenik I, Webba da Silva M, Spindler L. Surface-Adsorbed Long G-Quadruplex Nanowires Formed by G:C Linkages. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2016; 32:7056-63. [PMID: 27392201 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b01222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes connected into long, continuous nanostructures termed G-wires show properties superior to dsDNA when applied in nanotechnology. Using AFM imaging, we systematically studied surface adsorption of a set of G-rich oligonucleotides with GC-termini for their ability to form long G-wires through G:C pairing. We investigated the effects of increasing sequence length, the type of nucleotide in the side loops, and removal of the CG-3' terminus. We found that sequences with adenine in the side loops most readily form G-wires. The role of magnesium as an efficient surface-anchoring ion was also confirmed. Conversely, as resolved from dynamic light scattering measurements, magnesium had no ability to promote G-quadruplex formation in solution. These insights may help in selecting prosperous candidates for construction of G-quadruplex based nanowires and to explore them for their electronic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tinkara Troha
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana , Jadranska 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Irena Drevenšek-Olenik
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana , Jadranska 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Complex Matter, "Jožef Stefan" Institute , Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Mateus Webba da Silva
- Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, University of Ulster , Coleraine BT51 2SA, United Kingdom
| | - Lea Spindler
- Department of Complex Matter, "Jožef Stefan" Institute , Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor , Smetanova 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
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