1
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Sahoo BR, Kocman V, Clark N, Myers N, Deng X, Wong EL, Yang HJ, Kotar A, Guzman BB, Dominguez D, Plavec J, Bardwell JCA. Protein G-quadruplex interactions and their effects on phase transitions and protein aggregation. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:4702-4722. [PMID: 38572746 PMCID: PMC11077067 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae229] [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: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The SERF family of proteins were originally discovered for their ability to accelerate amyloid formation. Znf706 is an uncharacterized protein whose N-terminus is homologous to SERF proteins. We show here that human Znf706 can promote protein aggregation and amyloid formation. Unexpectedly, Znf706 specifically interacts with stable, non-canonical nucleic acid structures known as G-quadruplexes. G-quadruplexes can affect gene regulation and suppress protein aggregation; however, it is unknown if and how these two activities are linked. We find Znf706 binds preferentially to parallel G-quadruplexes with low micromolar affinity, primarily using its N-terminus, and upon interaction, its dynamics are constrained. G-quadruplex binding suppresses Znf706's ability to promote protein aggregation. Znf706 in conjunction with G-quadruplexes therefore may play a role in regulating protein folding. RNAseq analysis shows that Znf706 depletion specifically impacts the mRNA abundance of genes that are predicted to contain high G-quadruplex density. Our studies give insight into how proteins and G-quadruplexes interact, and how these interactions affect both partners and lead to the modulation of protein aggregation and cellular mRNA levels. These observations suggest that the SERF family of proteins, in conjunction with G-quadruplexes, may have a broader role in regulating protein folding and gene expression than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bikash R Sahoo
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Vojč Kocman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nathan Clark
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Nikhil Myers
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xiexiong Deng
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ee L Wong
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Harry J Yang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Anita Kotar
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | | | - Janez Plavec
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - James C A Bardwell
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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2
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Wang RX, Ou Y, Chen Y, Ren TB, Yuan L, Zhang XB. Rational Design of NIR-II G-Quadruplex Fluorescent Probes for Accurate In Vivo Tumor Metastasis Imaging. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:11669-11678. [PMID: 38644738 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c13851] [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: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Accurate in vivo imaging of G-quadruplexes (G4) is critical for understanding the emergence and progression of G4-associated diseases like cancer. However, existing in vivo G4 fluorescent probes primarily operate within the near-infrared region (NIR-I), which limits their application accuracy due to the short emission wavelength. The transition to second near-infrared (NIR-II) fluorescent imaging has been of significant interest, as it offers reduced autofluorescence and deeper tissue penetration, thereby facilitating more accurate in vivo imaging. Nonetheless, the advancement of NIR-II G4 probes has been impeded by the absence of effective probe design strategies. Herein, through a "step-by-step" rational design approach, we have successfully developed NIRG-2, the first small-molecule fluorescent probe with NIR-II emission tailored for in vivo G4 detection. Molecular docking calculations reveal that NIRG-2 forms stable hydrogen bonds and strong π-π interactions with G4 structures, which effectively inhibit twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) and, thereby, selectively illuminate G4 structures. Due to its NIR-II emission (940 nm), large Stokes shift (90 nm), and high selectivity, NIRG-2 offers up to 47-fold fluorescence enhancement and a tissue imaging depth of 5 mm for in vivo G4 detection, significantly outperforming existing G4 probes. Utilizing NIRG-2, we have, for the first time, achieved high-contrast visualization of tumor metastasis through lymph nodes and precise tumor resection. Furthermore, NIRG-2 proves to be highly effective and reliable in evaluating surgical and drug treatment efficacy in cancer lymphatic metastasis models. We are optimistic that this study not only provides a crucial molecular tool for an in-depth understanding of G4-related diseases in vivo but also marks a promising strategy for the development of clinical NIR-II G4-activated probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren-Xuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Yifeng Ou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Yushi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
| | - Tian-Bing Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Lin Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Xiao-Bing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
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3
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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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4
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Sahoo BR, Kocman V, Clark N, Myers N, Deng X, Wong EL, Yang HJ, Kotar A, Guzman BB, Dominguez D, Plavec J, Bardwell JC. Protein G-quadruplex interactions and their effects on phase transitions and protein aggregation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.21.558871. [PMID: 37790366 PMCID: PMC10542165 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.21.558871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The SERF family of proteins were originally discovered for their ability to accelerate amyloid formation. Znf706 is an uncharacterized protein whose N-terminus is homologous to SERF proteins. We show here that human Znf706 can promote protein aggregation and amyloid formation. Unexpectedly, Znf706 specifically interacts with stable, non-canonical nucleic acid structures known as G-quadruplexes. G-quadruplexes can affect gene regulation and suppress protein aggregation; however, it is unknown if and how these two activities are linked. We find Znf706 binds preferentially to parallel G-quadruplexes with low micromolar affinity, primarily using its N-terminus, and upon interaction, its dynamics are constrained. G-quadruplex binding suppresses Znf706's ability to promote protein aggregation. Znf706 in conjunction with G-quadruplexes therefore may play a role in regulating protein folding. RNAseq analysis shows that Znf706 depletion specifically impacts the mRNA abundance of genes that are predicted to contain high G-quadruplex density. Our studies give insight into how proteins and G-quadruplexes interact, and how these interactions affect both partners and lead to the modulation of protein aggregation and cellular mRNA levels. These observations suggest that the SERF family of proteins, in conjunction with G-quadruplexes, may have a broader role in regulating protein folding and gene expression than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bikash R. Sahoo
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Vojč Kocman
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nathan Clark
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Nikhil Myers
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xiexiong Deng
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ee L. Wong
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Harry J. Yang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Anita Kotar
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | | | - Janez Plavec
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - James C.A. Bardwell
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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5
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Xu Y, Komiyama M. G-Quadruplexes in Human Telomere: Structures, Properties, and Applications. Molecules 2023; 29:174. [PMID: 38202757 PMCID: PMC10780218 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29010174] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplexes, intricate four-stranded structures composed of G-tetrads formed by four guanine bases, are prevalent in both DNA and RNA. Notably, these structures play pivotal roles in human telomeres, contributing to essential cellular functions. Additionally, the existence of DNA:RNA hybrid G-quadruplexes adds a layer of complexity to their structural diversity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in unraveling the intricacies of DNA and RNA G-quadruplexes within human telomeres. Detailed insights into their structural features are presented, encompassing the latest developments in chemical approaches designed to probe these G-quadruplex structures. Furthermore, this review explores the applications of G-quadruplex structures in targeting human telomeres. Finally, the manuscript outlines the imminent challenges in this evolving field, setting the stage for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xu
- Division of Chemistry, Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, 5200 Kihara, Kiyotake, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan
| | - Makoto Komiyama
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST), The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
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6
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Aznauryan M, Birkedal V. Dynamics of G-Quadruplex Formation under Molecular Crowding. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:10354-10360. [PMID: 37948600 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c02453] [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: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplex (G4) structures assemble from guanine-rich DNA sequences and are believed to regulate several key cellular processes. G4 formation and conformational interconversions are well-established to occur dynamically in vitro. However, a clear understanding of G4 formation dynamics in cells as well as under conditions mimicking the cellular environment is missing. To fill this gap, we have investigated the G4 dynamics in molecularly crowded solutions, thus replicating the effect of the excluded volume present in cells. The results show that the volume exclusion exerted by large crowding agents accelerates the rate of G4 formation by at least an order of magnitude, leading to significant G4 stabilization. Extrapolation from our experimental data predicts crowding-induced G4 stabilization by more than 3 kcal/mol, under crowding levels found in the cellular environment. Such effects are likely to be important for G4-driven regulatory functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikayel Aznauryan
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Univ. Bordeaux, ARNA Laboratory, INSERM U1212, CNRS UMR 5320, Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, 33607 Pessac, France
| | - Victoria Birkedal
- Department of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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7
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Rao LS, Hao L, Liu LY, Zeng YL, Liang BB, Liu W, Mao ZW. Detection and tracking of cytoplasmic G-quadruplexes in live cells. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:13348-13351. [PMID: 37872783 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc03043a] [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: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
A TTPP probe was developed to distinguish G-quadruplexes (G4s) from other nucleic acid topologies through longer fluorescence lifetimes and higher quantum yields. In fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, TTPP enabled the visualization of cytoplasmic G4s in live cells, and showed the potential to detect cell apoptosis and ferroptosis by tracking cytoplasmic G4s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu-Si Rao
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, IGCME, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - Liang Hao
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, IGCME, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - Liu-Yi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, IGCME, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - You-Liang Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, IGCME, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - Bing-Bing Liang
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, IGCME, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - Wenting Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, IGCME, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
| | - Zong-Wan Mao
- Key Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, IGCME, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
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8
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Lu K, Wang HC, Tu YC, Lou PJ, Chang TC, Lin JJ. EGFR suppression contributes to growth inhibitory activity of G-quadruplex ligands in non-small cell lung cancers. Biochem Pharmacol 2023; 216:115788. [PMID: 37683841 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115788] [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: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) commonly harbor activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Drugs targeting the tyrosine kinase activity of EGFR have shown effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells with EGFR mutations. However, the development of additional mutations in cancer cells often leads to the persistence of the disease, necessitating alternative strategies to overcome this challenge. We explored the efficacy of stabilizing the G-quadruplex structure formed in the promoter region of EGFR as a means to suppress its expression and impede the growth of cancer cells with EGFR mutations. We revealed that the carbazole derivative BMVC-8C3O effectively suppressed EGFR expression and demonstrated significant growth inhibition in EGFR-mutated NSCLC cells, both in cell culture and mouse xenograft models. Importantly, the observed repression of EGFR expression and growth inhibition were not exclusive to carbazole derivatives, as several other G-quadruplex ligands exhibited similar effects. The growth-inhibitory activity of BMVC-8C3O is attributed, at least in part, to the repression of EGFR, although it is possible that additional cellular targets are also affected. Remarkably, the growth-inhibitory effect was observed even in osimertinib-resistant cells, indicating that BMVC-8C3O holds promise for treating drug-resistant NSCLC. Our findings present a promising and innovative approach for inhibiting the growth of NSCLC cells with EGFR mutations by effectively suppressing EGFR expression. The demonstrated efficacy of G-quadruplex ligands in this study highlights their potential as candidates for further development in NSCLC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Lu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Chiao Wang
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chen Tu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Jen Lou
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Ta-Chau Chang
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, P.O. Box 23-166, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.
| | - Jing-Jer Lin
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
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9
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Dai Y, Teng X, Zhang Q, Hou H, Li J. Advances and challenges in identifying and characterizing G-quadruplex-protein interactions. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:894-909. [PMID: 37422364 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are peculiar nucleic acid secondary structures formed by DNA or RNA and are considered as fundamental features of the genome. Many proteins can specifically bind to G4 structures. There is increasing evidence that G4-protein interactions involve in the regulation of important cellular processes, such as DNA replication, transcription, RNA splicing, and translation. Additionally, G4-protein interactions have been demonstrated to be potential targets for disease treatment. In order to unravel the detailed regulatory mechanisms of G4-binding proteins (G4BPs), biochemical methods for detecting G4-protein interactions with high specificity and sensitivity are highly demanded. Here, we review recent advances in screening and validation of new G4BPs and highlight both their features and limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yicong Dai
- Department of Chemistry, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shenzhen 518054, China
| | - Xucong Teng
- Department of Chemistry, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shenzhen 518054, China
| | - Qiushuang Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shenzhen 518054, China
| | - Hongwei Hou
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing 102209, China.
| | - Jinghong Li
- Department of Chemistry, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shenzhen 518054, China; Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing 102209, China; Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory of Physical Science at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China.
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10
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Sato K, Knipscheer P. G-quadruplex resolution: From molecular mechanisms to physiological relevance. DNA Repair (Amst) 2023; 130:103552. [PMID: 37572578 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2023.103552] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Guanine-rich DNA sequences can fold into stable four-stranded structures called G-quadruplexes or G4s. Research in the past decade demonstrated that G4 structures are widespread in the genome and prevalent in regulatory regions of actively transcribed genes. The formation of G4s has been tightly linked to important biological processes including regulation of gene expression and genome maintenance. However, they can also pose a serious threat to genome integrity especially by impeding DNA replication, and G4-associated somatic mutations have been found accumulated in the cancer genomes. Specialised DNA helicases and single stranded DNA binding proteins that can resolve G4 structures play a crucial role in preventing genome instability. The large variety of G4 unfolding proteins suggest the presence of multiple G4 resolution mechanisms in cells. Recently, there has been considerable progress in our detailed understanding of how G4s are resolved, especially during DNA replication. In this review, we first discuss the current knowledge of the genomic G4 landscapes and the impact of G4 structures on DNA replication and genome integrity. We then describe the recent progress on the mechanisms that resolve G4 structures and their physiological relevance. Finally, we discuss therapeutic opportunities to target G4 structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Sato
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW & University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Puck Knipscheer
- Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW & University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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11
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Pavlova I, Iudin M, Surdina A, Severov V, Varizhuk A. G-Quadruplexes in Nuclear Biomolecular Condensates. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14051076. [PMID: 37239436 DOI: 10.3390/genes14051076] [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: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) have long been implicated in the regulation of chromatin packaging and gene expression. These processes require or are accelerated by the separation of related proteins into liquid condensates on DNA/RNA matrices. While cytoplasmic G4s are acknowledged scaffolds of potentially pathogenic condensates, the possible contribution of G4s to phase transitions in the nucleus has only recently come to light. In this review, we summarize the growing evidence for the G4-dependent assembly of biomolecular condensates at telomeres and transcription initiation sites, as well as nucleoli, speckles, and paraspeckles. The limitations of the underlying assays and the remaining open questions are outlined. We also discuss the molecular basis for the apparent permissive role of G4s in the in vitro condensate assembly based on the interactome data. To highlight the prospects and risks of G4-targeting therapies with respect to the phase transitions, we also touch upon the reported effects of G4-stabilizing small molecules on nuclear biomolecular condensates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iuliia Pavlova
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine, 119435 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Mikhail Iudin
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine, 119435 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Anastasiya Surdina
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine, 119435 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vjacheslav Severov
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine, 119435 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna Varizhuk
- Lopukhin Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine, 119435 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
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12
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RNA G-quadruplex in live cells lighted-up by a thiazole orange analogue for SCA36 identification. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 229:724-731. [PMID: 36572080 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.12.231] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
SCA36 is a neurodegenerative disease mainly caused by the abnormal expansion of the GGGCCT repeat sequence in intron 1 of NOP56. The RNA sequences of this gene are expected to form large amounts of G-quadruplexes in the cytoplasm, which may be a potential intervention and detection target for SCA36. Here, we have developed a small-molecular compound named TCB-1, which shows good selectivity to the G-quadruplex structure, and its fluorescence can be enhanced by hundreds of folds. Interestingly, TCB-1 can avoid lysosome capture, evenly disperse in the cytoplasm, and selectively light up the cytoplasmic RNA G-quadruplexes. This property allows TCB-1 to sensitively detect the increased formation of cytoplasmic RNA G-quadruplexes in SCA36 model cells. This work not only provides new ideas for the design of small-molecule compounds targeting RNA G-quadruplexes in living cells, but also intuitively demonstrates the increased formation of RNA G-quadruplexes caused by NOP56 gene mutation, providing a possible tool for the detection of SCA36.
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13
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Deiana M, Chand K, Chorell E, Sabouri N. Parallel G-Quadruplex DNA Structures from Nuclear and Mitochondrial Genomes Trigger Emission Enhancement in a Nonfluorescent Nano-aggregated Fluorine-Boron-Based Dye. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:1862-1869. [PMID: 36779779 PMCID: PMC9940295 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c03301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Molecular self-assembly is a powerful tool for the development of functional nanostructures with adaptive optical properties. However, in aqueous solution, the hydrophobic effects in the monomeric units often afford supramolecular architectures with typical side-by-side π-stacking arrangement with compromised emissive properties. Here, we report on the role of parallel DNA guanine quadruplexes (G4s) as supramolecular disaggregating-capture systems capable of coordinating a zwitterionic fluorine-boron-based dye and promoting activation of its fluorescence signal. The dye's high binding affinity for parallel G4s compared to nonparallel topologies leads to a selective disassembly of the dye's supramolecular state upon contact with parallel G4s. This results in a strong and selective disaggregation-induced emission that signals the presence of parallel G4s observable by the naked eye and inside cells. The molecular recognition strategy reported here will be useful for a multitude of affinity-based applications with potential in sensing and imaging systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Deiana
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Karam Chand
- Department
of Chemistry, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Erik Chorell
- Department
of Chemistry, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nasim Sabouri
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
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14
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Zheng BX, Yu J, Long W, Chan KH, Leung ASL, Wong WL. Structurally diverse G-quadruplexes as the noncanonical nucleic acid drug target for live cell imaging and antibacterial study. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:1415-1433. [PMID: 36636928 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc05945b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The formation of G-quadruplex structures (G4s) in vitro from guanine (G)-rich nucleic acid sequences of DNA and RNA stabilized with monovalent cations, typically K+ and Na+, under physiological conditions, has been verified experimentally and some of them have high-resolution NMR or X-ray crystal structures; however, the biofunction of these special noncanonical secondary structures of nucleic acids has not been fully understood and their existence in vivo is still controversial at present. It is generally believed that the folding and unfolding of G4s in vivo is a transient process. Accumulating evidence has shown that G4s may play a role in the regulation of certain important cellular functions including telomere maintenance, replication, transcription and translation. Therefore, both DNA and RNA G4s of human cancer hallmark genes are recognized as the potential anticancer drug target for the investigation in cancer biology, chemical biology and drug discovery. The relationship between the sequence, structure and stability of G4s, the interaction of G4s with small molecules, and insights into the rational design of G4-selective binding ligands have been intensively studied over the decade. At present, some G4-ligands have achieved a new milestone and successfully entered the human clinical trials for anticancer therapy. Over the past few decades, numerous efforts have been devoted to anticancer therapy; however, G4s for molecular recognition and live cell imaging and for application as antibacterial agents and antibiofilms against antibiotic resistance have been obviously underexplored. The recent advances in G4-ligands in these areas are thus selected and discussed concentratedly in this article in order to shed light on the emerging role of G4s in chemical biology and therapeutic prospects against bacterial infections. In addition, the recently published molecular scaffolds for designing small ligands selectively targeting G4s in live cell imaging, bacterial biofilm imaging, and antibacterial studies are discussed. Furthermore, a number of underexplored G4-targets from the cytoplasmic membrane-associated DNA, the conserved promoter region of K. pneumoniae genomes, the RNA G4-sites in the transcriptome of E. coli and P. aeruginosa, and the mRNA G4-sites in the sequence for coding the vital bacterial FtsZ protein are highlighted to further explore in G4-drug development against human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Xin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Jie Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Wei Long
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, P. R. China
| | - Ka Hin Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Alan Siu-Lun Leung
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Wing-Leung Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. .,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, P. R. China
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15
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Pandith A, Luo Y, Jang Y, Bae J, Kim Y. Self-Assembled Peptidyl Aggregates for the Fluorogenic Recognition of Mitochondrial DNA G-Quadruplexes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202215049. [PMID: 36396597 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202215049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The selective monitoring of G-quadruplex (G4) structures in living cells is important to elucidate their functions and reveal their value as diagnostic or therapeutic targets. Here we report a fluorogenic probe (CV2) able to selectively light-up parallel G4 DNA over antiparallel topologies. CV2 was constructed by conjugating the excimer-forming CV dye with a peptide sequence (l-Arg-l-Gly-glutaric acid) that specifically recognizes G4s. CV2 forms self-assembled, red excimer-emitting nanoaggregates in aqueous media, but specific binding to G4s triggers its disassembly into rigidified monomeric dyes, leading to a dramatic fluorescence enhancement. Moreover, selective permeation of CV2 stains G4s in mitochondria over the nucleus. CV2 was employed for tracking the folding and unfolding of G4s in living cells, and for monitoring mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage. These properties make CV2 appealing to investigate the possible roles of mtDNA G4s in diseases that involve mitochondrial dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anup Pandith
- Department of Chemistry and Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02447, Korea.,Current address, International Ph.D. Program in Biomedical Engineering (IPBME), College of Biomedical Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan (R.O.C
| | - Yongyang Luo
- School of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Korea
| | - Yul Jang
- Department of Chemistry and Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02447, Korea
| | - Jeehyeon Bae
- School of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Korea
| | - Youngmi Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02447, Korea
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16
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Advances in
G
‐quadruplexes‐based fluorescent imaging. Biopolymers 2022; 113:e23528. [DOI: 10.1002/bip.23528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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17
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Zhao L, Ahmed F, Zeng Y, Xu W, Xiong H. Recent Developments in G-Quadruplex Binding Ligands and Specific Beacons on Smart Fluorescent Sensor for Targeting Metal Ions and Biological Analytes. ACS Sens 2022; 7:2833-2856. [PMID: 36112358 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.2c00992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The G-quadruplex structure is crucial in several biological processes, including DNA replication, transcription, and genomic maintenance. G-quadruplex-based fluorescent probes have recently gained popularity because of their ease of use, low cost, excellent selectivity, and sensitivity. This review summarizes the latest applications of G-quadruplex structures as detectors of genome-wide, enantioselective catalysts, disease therapeutics, promising drug targets, and smart fluorescence probes. In every section, sensing of G-quadruplex and employing G4 for the detection of other analytes were introduced, respectively. Since the discovery of the G-quadruplex structure, several studies have been conducted to investigate its conformations, biological potential, stability, reactivity, selectivity for chemical modification, and optical properties. The formation mechanism and advancements for detecting different metal ions (Na+, K+, Ag+, Tl+, Cu+/Cu2+, Hg2+, and Pb2+) and biomolecules (AMP, ATP, DNA/RNA, microRNA, thrombin, T4 PNK, RNase H, ALP, CEA, lipocalin 1, and UDG) using fluorescent sensors based on G-quadruplex modification, such as dye labels, artificial nucleobase moieties, dye complexes, intercalating dyes, and bioconjugated nanomaterials (AgNCs, GO, QDs, CDs, and MOF) is described herein. To investigate these extremely efficient responsive agents for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in medicine, fluorescence sensors based on G-quadruplexes have also been employed as a quantitative visualization technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Zhao
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P. R. China.,College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P. R. China
| | - Farid Ahmed
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P. R. China
| | - Yating Zeng
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P. R. China
| | - Weiqing Xu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P. R. China
| | - Hai Xiong
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P. R. China
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18
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Kang Y, Wei C. A stilbene derivative as dual-channel fluorescent probe for mitochondrial G-quadruplex DNA in living cells. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2022; 278:121316. [PMID: 35569198 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2022.121316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplex DNA has attracted the widespread attention as a novel target of anticancer strategy. Herein, two novel stilbene derivatives 2a and 2b were designed and synthesized under mild reaction conditions, and their interactions with G-quadruplex DNA, cytotoxicity, and distribution in living cells were investigated in detail. Both compounds display a low cytotoxicity and the higher affinity to G-quadruplex DNA than to the other secondary structures, including duplex, single-stranded and i-motif DNA, moreover, the affinity of 2b with m-allyl pyridine salt group to G-quadruplex DNA is about 10-fold stronger than that of 2a with p-allyl pyridine salt group. The interactions of the compounds with the promoter G-quadruplexes are enthalpy-driven by an ITC assay. 2a and 2b not only stabilize the G-quadruplex structure but also induce the G-rich sequences (bcl-2, HRCC and KSS) to fold into the mixed-type G-quadruplex in Na+/K+ free Tris-HCl buffer at pH 7.0, and 2b presents the higher stabilization to G-quadruplex than 2a by a FRET-melting assay. 2b presents a dual-emission at 508 and 600 nm and gives a turn-on and stronger and more sensitive fluorescence response over 2a to the promoter (bcl-2, c-kit 2 and c-myc) and mitochondrial (HRCC and KSS) G-quadruplex DNA at both emission wavelengths, moreover, the peak at 508 nm is blue-shifted to 466 nm after binding to DNA. The blue and red dual-channel CLSM images indicate that 2b is mainly distributed in the mitochondrion of living HepG2 cells. The results show that 2b is a potential dual-channel fluorescent probe for mitochondrial G-quadruplex DNA in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqiang Kang
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, PR China
| | - Chunying Wei
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, PR China.
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19
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Cueny RR, McMillan SD, Keck JL. G-quadruplexes in bacteria: insights into the regulatory roles and interacting proteins of non-canonical nucleic acid structures. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2022; 57:539-561. [PMID: 36999585 PMCID: PMC10336854 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2023.2181310] [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: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are highly stable, non-canonical DNA or RNA structures that can form in guanine-rich stretches of nucleic acids. G4-forming sequences have been found in all domains of life, and proteins that bind and/or resolve G4s have been discovered in both bacterial and eukaryotic organisms. G4s regulate a variety of cellular processes through inhibitory or stimulatory roles that depend upon their positions within genomes or transcripts. These include potential roles as impediments to genome replication, transcription, and translation or, in other contexts, as activators of genome stability, transcription, and recombination. This duality suggests that G4 sequences can aid cellular processes but that their presence can also be problematic. Despite their documented importance in bacterial species, G4s remain understudied in bacteria relative to eukaryotes. In this review, we highlight the roles of bacterial G4s by discussing their prevalence in bacterial genomes, the proteins that bind and unwind G4s in bacteria, and the processes regulated by bacterial G4s. We identify limitations in our current understanding of the functions of G4s in bacteria and describe new avenues for studying these remarkable nucleic acid structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel R. Cueny
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| | - Sarah D. McMillan
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| | - James L. Keck
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
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20
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Savva L, Fossépré M, Keramidas O, Themistokleous A, Rizeq N, Panagiotou N, Leclercq M, Nicolaidou E, Surin M, Hayes SC, Georgiades SN. Gaining Insights on the Interactions of a Class of Decorated (2-([2,2'-Bipyridin]-6-yl)phenyl)platinum Compounds with c-Myc Oncogene Promoter G-Quadruplex and Other DNA Structures. Chemistry 2022; 28:e202201497. [PMID: 35726630 PMCID: PMC9804160 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202201497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Organometallic molecules offer some of the most promising scaffolds for interaction with G-quadruplex nucleic acids. We report the efficient synthesis of a family of organoplatinum(II) complexes, featuring a 2-([2,2'-bipyridin]-6-yl)phenyl tridentate (N∧ N∧ C) ligand, that incorporates peripheral side-chains aiming at enhancing and diversifying its interaction capabilities. These include a di-isopropyl carbamoyl amide, a morpholine ethylenamide, two enantiomeric proline imides and an oxazole. The binding affinities of the Pt-complexes were evaluated via UV-vis and fluorescence titrations, against 5 topologically-distinct DNA structures, including c-myc G-quadruplex, two telomeric (22AG) G-quadruplexes, a duplex (ds26) and a single-stranded (polyT) DNA. All compounds exhibited binding selectivity in favour of c-myc, with association constants (Ka ) in the range of 2-5×105 M-1 , lower affinity for both folds of 22AG and for ds26 and negligible affinity for polyT. Remarkable emission enhancements (up to 200-fold) upon addition of excess DNA were demonstrated by a subset of the compounds with c-myc, providing a basis for optical selectivity, since optical response to all other tested DNAs was low. A c-myc DNA-melting experiment showed significant stabilizing abilities for all compounds, with the most potent binder, the morpholine-Pt-complex, exhibiting a ΔTm >30 °C, at 1 : 5 DNA-to-ligand molar ratio. The same study implied contributions of the diverse side-chains to helix stabilization. To gain direct evidence of the nature of the interactions, mixtures of c-myc with the four most promising compounds were studied via UV Resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopy, which revealed end-stacking binding mode, combined with interactions of side-chains with loop nucleobase residues. Docking simulations were conducted to provide insights into the binding modes for the same four Pt-compounds, suggesting that the binding preference for two alternative orientations of the c-myc G-quadruplex thymine 'cap' ('open' vs. 'closed'), as well as the relative contributions to affinity from end-stacking and H-bonding, are highly dependent on the nature of the interacting Pt-complex side-chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loukiani Savva
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Cyprus1 Panepistimiou Avenue, Aglandjia2109NicosiaCyprus
| | - Mathieu Fossépré
- Laboratory for Chemistry of Novel MaterialsUniversity of Mons – UMONS20 Place du ParcB-7000MonsBelgium
| | - Odysseas Keramidas
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Cyprus1 Panepistimiou Avenue, Aglandjia2109NicosiaCyprus
| | | | - Natalia Rizeq
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Cyprus1 Panepistimiou Avenue, Aglandjia2109NicosiaCyprus
| | - Nikos Panagiotou
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Cyprus1 Panepistimiou Avenue, Aglandjia2109NicosiaCyprus
| | - Maxime Leclercq
- Laboratory for Chemistry of Novel MaterialsUniversity of Mons – UMONS20 Place du ParcB-7000MonsBelgium
| | - Eliana Nicolaidou
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Cyprus1 Panepistimiou Avenue, Aglandjia2109NicosiaCyprus
| | - Mathieu Surin
- Laboratory for Chemistry of Novel MaterialsUniversity of Mons – UMONS20 Place du ParcB-7000MonsBelgium
| | - Sophia C. Hayes
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Cyprus1 Panepistimiou Avenue, Aglandjia2109NicosiaCyprus
| | - Savvas N. Georgiades
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Cyprus1 Panepistimiou Avenue, Aglandjia2109NicosiaCyprus
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21
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Liu L, Zhu L, Tong H, Su C, Wells JW, Chalikian TV. Distribution of Conformational States Adopted by DNA from the Promoter Regions of the VEGF and Bcl-2 Oncogenes. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:6654-6670. [PMID: 36001297 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c04304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We employed a previously described procedure, based on circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, to quantify the distribution of conformational states adopted by equimolar mixtures of complementary G-rich and C-rich DNA strands from the promoter regions of the VEGF and Bcl-2 oncogenes. Spectra were recorded at different pHs, concentrations of KCl, and temperatures. The temperature dependences of the fractional populations of the duplex, G-quadruplex, i-motif, and coiled conformations of each promoter were then analyzed within the framework of a thermodynamic model to obtain the enthalpy and melting temperature of each folded-to-unfolded transition involved in the equilibrium. A comparison of the conformational data on the VEGF and Bcl-2 DNA with similar results on the c-MYC DNA, which we reported previously, reveals that the distribution of conformational states depends on the specific DNA sequence and is modulated by environmental factors. Under the physiological conditions of room temperature, neutral pH, and elevated concentrations of potassium ions, the duplex conformation coexists with the G-quadruplex conformation in proportions that depend on the sequence. This observed conformational diversity has biological implications, and it further supports our previously proposed thermodynamic hypothesis of gene regulation. In that hypothesis, a specific distribution of duplex and tetraplex conformations in a promoter region is fine-tuned to maintain the healthy level of gene expression. Any deviation from a healthy distribution of conformational states may result in pathology stemming from up- or downregulation of the gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lutan Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Legeng Zhu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Haoyuan Tong
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Chongyu Su
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - James W Wells
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Tigran V Chalikian
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3M2, Canada
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22
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Katsuda Y, Sato SI, Inoue M, Tsugawa H, Kamura T, Kida T, Matsumoto R, Asamitsu S, Shioda N, Shiroto S, Oosawatsu Y, Yatsuzuka K, Kitamura Y, Hagihara M, Ihara T, Uesugi M. Small molecule-based detection of non-canonical RNA G-quadruplex structures that modulate protein translation. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:8143-8153. [PMID: 35801908 PMCID: PMC9371906 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac580] [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: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Tandem repeats of guanine-rich sequences in RNA often form thermodynamically stable four-stranded RNA structures. Such RNA G-quadruplexes have long been considered to be linked to essential biological processes, yet their physiological significance in cells remains unclear. Here, we report a approach that permits the detection of RNA G-quadruplex structures that modulate protein translation in mammalian cells. The approach combines antibody arrays and RGB-1, a small molecule that selectively stabilizes RNA G-quadruplex structures. Analysis of the protein and mRNA products of 84 cancer-related human genes identified Nectin-4 and CapG as G-quadruplex-controlled genes whose mRNAs harbor non-canonical G-quadruplex structures on their 5′UTR region. Further investigations revealed that the RNA G-quadruplex of CapG exhibits a structural polymorphism, suggesting a possible mechanism that ensures the translation repression in a KCl concentration range of 25–100 mM. The approach described in the present study sets the stage for further discoveries of RNA G-quadruplexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yousuke Katsuda
- Division of Materials Science and Chemistry, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Sato
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Maimi Inoue
- Division of Materials Science and Chemistry, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Hisashi Tsugawa
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8561, Japan
| | - Takuto Kamura
- Division of Materials Science and Chemistry, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Tomoki Kida
- Division of Materials Science and Chemistry, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Rio Matsumoto
- Division of Materials Science and Chemistry, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Sefan Asamitsu
- Department of Genomic Neurology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
| | - Norifumi Shioda
- Department of Genomic Neurology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 5-1 Oe, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
| | - Shuhei Shiroto
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8561, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Oosawatsu
- Division of Materials Science and Chemistry, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Kenji Yatsuzuka
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kitamura
- Division of Materials Science and Chemistry, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Masaki Hagihara
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Hirosaki University, 3 Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8561, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Ihara
- Division of Materials Science and Chemistry, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan
| | - Motonari Uesugi
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan.,School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China
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23
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Lu X, Wu X, Kuang S, Lei C, Nie Z. Visualization of Deep Tissue G-quadruplexes with a Novel Large Stokes-Shifted Red Fluorescent Benzothiazole Derivative. Anal Chem 2022; 94:10283-10290. [PMID: 35776781 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c02049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
G-quadruplex (G4) is a noncanonical nucleic acid secondary structure that has implications for various physiological and pathological processes and is thus essential to exploring new approaches to G4 detection in live cells. However, the deficiency of molecular imaging tools makes it challenging to visualize the G4 in ex vivo tissue samples. In this study, we established a G4 probe design strategy and presented a red fluorescent benzothiazole derivative, ThT-NA, to detect and image G4 structures in living cells and tissue samples. By enhancing the electron-donating group of thioflavin T (ThT) and optimizing molecular structure, ThT-NA shows excellent photophysical properties, including red emission (610 nm), a large Stokes shift (>100 nm), high sensitivity selectivity toward G4s (1600-fold fluorescence turn-on ratio) and robust two-photon fluorescence emission. Therefore, these features enable ThT-NA to reveal the endogenous RNA G4 distribution in living cells and differentiate the cell cycle by monitoring the changes of RNA G4 folding. Significantly, to the best of our knowledge, ThT-NA is the first benzothiazole-derived G4 probe that has been developed for imaging G4s in ex vivo cancer tissue samples by two-photon microscopy techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianhua Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People's Republic of China
| | - Shi Kuang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunyang Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhou Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People's Republic of China
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24
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Wang M, Zhang F, Luo Y, Shuo L, Wang MQ. DPA-Substituted Carbazole Derivative as a Fluorescent Ligand for G4 DNA. Chem Biodivers 2022; 19:e202200061. [PMID: 35762741 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202200061] [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: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Herein a conjugated dipicolylamine/carbazole (Car-DPA) molecule was designed and synthesized to enhance the performance for the application as a G4 fluorescent ligand. This ligand has been found to display distinct and specific fluorescence enhancements in the presence of various G4 DNA structures, but limited with ssDNA or dsDNAs. The detail binding characteristics of the ligand with c-MYC G4 DNA were investigated by fluorescence, UV/VIS absorption, CD spectroscopy, and molecular docking. The present study demonstrated that Car-DPA bound to c-MYC G4s with a two-step complex formation, in which the binding mode appeared to be end-stacking. Confocal fluorescence images indicated that ligand Car-DPA could locate in nucleus, which is quite prominent from the cellular internalization studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Wang
- College of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Shandong Institute of Petrochemical Technology, Dongying, 257001, P. R. China
| | - Feng Zhang
- College of Mechanic and Electronic Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, P. R. China.,Shengli Oil Field Petroleum Engineering Technology Research Institute Sinopec, Dongying, 257000, P. R. China
| | - Yang Luo
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, P. R. China
| | - Li Shuo
- School of Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing, 400054, P. R. China
| | - Ming-Qi Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, P. R. China
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25
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Monsen RC, Maguire JM, DeLeeuw LW, Chaires JB, Trent JO. Drug discovery of small molecules targeting the higher-order hTERT promoter G-quadruplex. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270165. [PMID: 35709230 PMCID: PMC9202945 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA G-quadruplexes (G4s) are now widely accepted as viable targets in the pursuit of anticancer therapeutics. To date, few small molecules have been identified that exhibit selectivity for G4s over alternative forms of DNA, such as the ubiquitous duplex. We posit that the lack of current ligand specificity arises for multiple reasons: G4 atomic models are often small, monomeric, single quadruplex structures with few or no druggable pockets; targeting G-tetrad faces frequently results in the enrichment of extended electron-deficient polyaromatic end-pasting scaffolds; and virtual drug discovery efforts often under-sample chemical search space. We show that by addressing these issues we can enrich for non-standard molecular templates that exhibit high selectivity towards G4s over other forms of DNA. We performed an extensive virtual screen against the higher-order hTERT core promoter G4 that we have previously characterized, targeting 12 of its unique loop and groove pockets using libraries containing 40 million drug-like compounds for each screen. Using our drug discovery funnel approach, which utilizes high-throughput fluorescence thermal shift assay (FTSA) screens, microscale thermophoresis (MST), and orthogonal biophysical methods, we have identified multiple unique G4 binding scaffolds. We subsequently used two rounds of catalogue-based SAR to increase the affinity of a disubstituted 2-aminoethyl-quinazoline that stabilizes the higher-order hTERT G-quadruplex by binding across its G4 junctional sites. We show selectivity of its binding affinity towards hTERT is virtually unaffected in the presence of near-physiological levels of duplex DNA, and that this molecule downregulates hTERT transcription in breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert C. Monsen
- UofL Health Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Jon M. Maguire
- UofL Health Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Lynn W. DeLeeuw
- UofL Health Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - Jonathan B. Chaires
- UofL Health Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JBC); (JOT)
| | - John O. Trent
- UofL Health Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JBC); (JOT)
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26
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Dou WT, Han HH, Sedgwick AC, Zhu GB, Zang Y, Yang XR, Yoon J, James TD, Li J, He XP. Fluorescent probes for the detection of disease-associated biomarkers. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2022; 67:853-878. [PMID: 36546238 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2022.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent probes have emerged as indispensable chemical tools to the field of chemical biology and medicine. The ability to detect intracellular species and monitor physiological processes has not only advanced our knowledge in biology but has provided new approaches towards disease diagnosis. In this review, we detail the design criteria and strategies for some recently reported fluorescent probes that can detect a wide range of biologically important species in cells and in vivo. In doing so, we highlight the importance of each biological species and their role in biological systems and for disease progression. We then discuss the current problems and challenges of existing technologies and provide our perspective on the future directions of the research area. Overall, we hope this review will provide inspiration for researchers and prove as useful guide for the development of the next generation of fluorescent probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Tao Dou
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Hai-Hao Han
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Adam C Sedgwick
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712-1224, USA
| | - Guo-Biao Zhu
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yi Zang
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xin-Rong Yang
- Department of Liver Surgery & Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Juyoung Yoon
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea.
| | - Tony D James
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - Jia Li
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Xiao-Peng He
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
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27
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Teng X, Dai Y, Li J. Methodological advances of bioanalysis and biochemical targeting of intracellular G-quadruplexes. EXPLORATION (BEIJING, CHINA) 2022; 2:20210214. [PMID: 37323879 PMCID: PMC10191030 DOI: 10.1002/exp.20210214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are a kind of non-canonical nucleic acid secondary structures, which involve in various biological processes in living cells. The relationships between G4s and human diseases, such as tumors, neurodegenerative diseases, and viral infections, have attracted great attention in the last decade. G4s are considered as a promising new target for disease treatment. For instance, G4 ligands are reported to be potentially effective in SARS-COV-2 treatment. However, because of the lack of analytical methods with high performance for the identification of intracellular G4s, the detailed mechanisms of the biofunctions of G4s remain elusive. Meanwhile, through demonstrating the principles of how the G4s systematically modulate the cellular processes with advanced detection methods, biochemical targeting of G4s in living cells can be realized by chemical and biological tools and becomes useful in biomedicine. This review highlights recent methodological advances about intracellular G4s and provides an outlook on the improvement of the bioanalysis and biochemical targeting tools of G4s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xucong Teng
- Department of Chemistry, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical BiologyTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yicong Dai
- Department of Chemistry, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical BiologyTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jinghong Li
- Department of Chemistry, Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical BiologyTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
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28
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Biswas A, Singh SB, Todankar CS, Sudhakar S, Pany SPP, Pradeepkumar PI. Stabilization and fluorescence light-up of G-quadruplex nucleic acids using indolyl-quinolinium based probes. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:6238-6255. [PMID: 35229834 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp04718c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
G-Quadruplexes (G4s) are four-stranded motifs formed by G-rich nucleic acid sequences. These structures harbor significant biological importance as they are involved in telomere maintenance, transcription, and translation. Owing to their dynamic and polymorphic nature, G4 structures relevant for therapeutic applications need to be stabilized by small-molecule ligands. Some of these ligands turn on fluorescence upon binding to G4 structures, which provides a powerful detection platform for G4 structures. Herein, we report the synthesis of fluorescent ligands based on the indolyl-quinolinium moiety to specifically stabilize G4 structures and sense DNA. CD titration and melting experiments have shown that the lead ligand induces the formation of parallel G4 with preferential stabilization of the c-MYC and c-KIT1 promoter G4s over the telomeric, h-RAS1 G4, and duplex DNA. Fluorimetric titration data revealed fluorescence enhancement when these ligands interact with G4 DNA structures. The fluorescence lifetime experiment of the ligand with different DNAs revealed three excited state lifetimes (ns), which indicates more than one binding site. MD studies showed that the ligand exhibits 3 : 1 stoichiometry of binding with c-MYC G4 DNA and revealed the unique structural features, which impart selectivity toward parallel topology. The ligand was found to have low cytotoxicity and exhibited preferential staining of DNA over RNA. Collectively, the results presented here offer avenues to harness indolyl-quinolinium scaffolds for sensing and selective stabilization of G4 structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annyesha Biswas
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400 076, India.
| | - Sushma B Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400 076, India.
| | - Chaitra S Todankar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400 076, India.
| | - Sruthi Sudhakar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400 076, India.
| | | | - P I Pradeepkumar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400 076, India.
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29
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Feng Y, Tao S, Zhang P, Sperti FR, Liu G, Cheng X, Zhang T, Yu H, Wang XE, Chen C, Monchaud D, Zhang W. Epigenomic features of DNA G-quadruplexes and their roles in regulating rice gene transcription. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 188:1632-1648. [PMID: 34893906 PMCID: PMC8896617 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
A DNA G-quadruplex (G4) is a non-canonical four-stranded nucleic acid structure involved in many biological processes in mammals. The current knowledge on plant DNA G4s, however, is limited; whether and how DNA G4s impact gene expression in plants is still largely unknown. Here, we applied a protocol referred to as BG4-DNA-IP-seq followed by a comprehensive characterization of DNA G4s in rice (Oryza sativa L.); we next integrated dG4s (experimentally detectable G4s) with existing omics data and found that dG4s exhibited differential DNA methylation between transposable element (TE) and non-TE genes. dG4 regions displayed genic-dependent enrichment of epigenomic signatures; finally, we showed that these sites displayed a positive association with expression of DNA G4-containing genes when located at promoters, and a negative association when located in the gene body, suggesting localization-dependent promotional/repressive roles of DNA G4s in regulating gene transcription. This study reveals interrelations between DNA G4s and epigenomic signatures, as well as implicates DNA G4s in modulating gene transcription in rice. Our study provides valuable resources for the functional characterization or bioengineering of some of key DNA G4s in rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilong Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, JCIC-MCP, CIC-MCP, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Shentong Tao
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, JCIC-MCP, CIC-MCP, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Pengyue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, JCIC-MCP, CIC-MCP, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Francesco Rota Sperti
- Institut de Chimie Moleculaire, ICMUB, CNRS UMR 6302, UBFC Dijon, 21078 Dijon, France
| | - Guanqing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China
| | - Xuejiao Cheng
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, JCIC-MCP, CIC-MCP, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China
| | - Hengxiu Yu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Xiu-e Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, JCIC-MCP, CIC-MCP, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Caiyan Chen
- Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, Hunan 410125, China
| | - David Monchaud
- Institut de Chimie Moleculaire, ICMUB, CNRS UMR 6302, UBFC Dijon, 21078 Dijon, France
| | - Wenli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, JCIC-MCP, CIC-MCP, Nanjing Agricultural University, No. 1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
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30
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Sakamoto T, Yu Z, Otani Y. Dual-Color Fluorescence Switch-On Probe for Imaging G-Quadruplex and Double-Stranded DNA in Living Cells. Anal Chem 2022; 94:4269-4276. [PMID: 35234461 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c04804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A tripodal quinone-cyanine dye having one donor and three acceptors, that is, one quinone and three N-methylbenzothiazolium moieties, QCy(MeBT)3, was synthesized by simple Knoevenagel condensation between 2-hydroxybenzene-1,3,5-tricarbaldehyde and N-methyl-2-methylbenzothiazolium iodide. The 700 nm (λex, 570 nm) and 600 nm (λex, 470 nm) fluorescence emission of QCy(MeBT)3 was significantly and individually enhanced with the addition of G-quadruplex (G4) DNA and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), respectively. The results of docking simulations and the response against the viscosity change revealed that the dual-fluorescence response was caused by the difference in the binding mode of QCy(MeBT)3 depending on the DNA structure. The results of fluorescence microscopy imaging experiments using QCy(MeBT)3 suggested that G4 DNAs and dsDNAs in the cell nucleus can be imaged with near-infrared (NIR, 700 nm) and red (600 nm) fluorescence emissions. Furthermore, pyridostatin-induced G4 formation in the living cells can be imaged with NIR fluorescence. The results indicated that QCy(MeBT)3 has huge potential to be a NIR-fluorescent molecular probe for analyzing the structural dynamics of nucleic acids in living cells with a normal fluorescence microscope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Sakamoto
- Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakaedani, Wakayama 640-8510, Japan.,Graduate School of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakaedani, Wakayama 640-8510, Japan
| | - Zehui Yu
- Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakaedani, Wakayama 640-8510, Japan
| | - Yuto Otani
- Graduate School of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakaedani, Wakayama 640-8510, Japan
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31
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Xia T, Chen G, Zhou D, Liu W, Li X, Gu H, Ye Y, Du J, Fan J, Peng X. Nucleic Acid Probe-Based Difunctional Hematology Analysis Kit for Peripheral Blood Cell Analysis. ACS Sens 2022; 7:469-476. [PMID: 35129973 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.1c02209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Traditional "one for one channel" long-wavelength probes in hematology analyzers limit their resolution and detection efficiency. In this study, we developed a "one for two channels" probe named NATO, which shows a short wavelength (λabs = 460 nm), good nucleus and nucleolus location, and a high signal-to-noise ratio to nucleic acids. When NATO was made into a hematology analysis kit and applied in an automated hematology analyzer, short-wavelength absorbance endows NATO with higher resolution, which in turn leads to better separation of red blood cells and platelets in the blood shadow of the differentiating (DIFF) channel. In addition, this kit showed terrific performance in both DIFF and reticulocytes channels. Our study sheds light on the development of hematology analysis in an automated hematology analyzer by proposing a nucleic acid probe with difunction and higher resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianping Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Gengwen Chen
- Hematology Reagent R&D, Mindray Bio-medical Electronics Co. Ltd., Shenzhen 518132, China
| | - Danhong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Weijian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Xiaojing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Hua Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Yi Ye
- Hematology Reagent R&D, Mindray Bio-medical Electronics Co. Ltd., Shenzhen 518132, China
| | - Jianjun Du
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Jiangli Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
- Ningbo Institute of Dalian University of Technology, Ningbo 315016, China
| | - Xiaojun Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
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32
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Green AT, Pickard AJ, Li R, MacKerell AD, Bierbach U, Cho SS. Computational and Experimental Characterization of rDNA and rRNA G-Quadruplexes. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:609-619. [PMID: 35026949 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c08340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
DNA G-quadruplexes in human telomeres and gene promoters are being extensively studied for their role in controlling the growth of cancer cells. G-quadruplexes have been unambiguously shown to exist both in vitro and in vivo, including in the guanine (G)-rich DNA genes encoding pre-ribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA), which is transcribed in the cell's nucleolus. Recent studies strongly suggest that these DNA sequences ("rDNA"), and the transcribed rRNA, are a potential anticancer target through the inhibition of RNA polymerase I (Pol I) in ribosome biogenesis, but the structures of ribosomal G-quadruplexes at atomic resolution are unknown and very little biophysical characterization has been performed on them to date. In the present study, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy is used to show that two putative rDNA G-quadruplex sequences, NUC 19P and NUC 23P and their counterpart rRNAs, predominantly adopt parallel topologies, reminiscent of the analogous telomeric quadruplex structures. Based on this information, we modeled parallel topology atomistic structures of the putative ribosomal G-quadruplexes. We then validated and refined the modeled ribosomal G-quadruplex structures using all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with the CHARMM36 force field in the presence and absence of stabilizing K+. Motivated by preliminary MD simulations of the telomeric parallel G-quadruplex (TEL 24P) in which the K+ ion is expelled, we used updated CHARMM36 force field K+ parameters that were optimized, targeting the data from quantum mechanical calculations and the polarizable Drude model force field. In subsequent MD simulations with optimized CHARMM36 parameters, the K+ ions are predominantly in the G-quadruplex channel and the rDNA G-quadruplexes have more well-defined, predominantly parallel-topology structures as compared to rRNA. In addition, NUC 19P is more structured than NUC 23P, which contains extended loops. Results from this study set the structural foundation for understanding G-quadruplex functions and the design of novel chemotherapeutics against these nucleolar targets and can be readily extended to other DNA and RNA G-quadruplexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam T Green
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109, United States
| | - Amanda J Pickard
- Department of Chemistry, Wake Forest University, Wake Downtown Campus, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101, United States
| | - Rongzhong Li
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109, United States.,Department of Computer Science, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109, United States
| | - Alexander D MacKerell
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Ulrich Bierbach
- Department of Chemistry, Wake Forest University, Wake Downtown Campus, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101, United States
| | - Samuel S Cho
- Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109, United States.,Department of Computer Science, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109, United States
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33
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A fluorescent molecular rotor for the selective detection of the hybrid-conformation 22AG G-Quadruplex. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 55:128462. [PMID: 34813881 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.128462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplex (G4) DNA plays a vital role in myriad biological process and is linked to several human diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Probing G4s with fluorescent probes can provide a better understanding their mechanisms of action and of their roles in Nature. In this study we developed a quinolinium-vinylaniline molecular rotor probe, featuring a diethylaminosalicylaldehyde unit that could discriminate the hybrid-22AG G4 sequence selectively amongst other G4 sequences. This probe underwent a significant red-shift upon binding to the target G4 (broad 575 nm → sharp 630 nm) with enhanced fluorescence (up to 14-fold). We suspect that the vinylaniline unit of the molecular rotor, when bound to the hybrid-22 A G4, experienced restricted rotation, thereby undergoing enhanced intramolecular charge transfer. The presence of the diethylaminosalicylaldehyde moiety appeared to play a major role in the enhanced selectivity toward the 22AG G4.
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34
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Guo X, Chen H, Liu Y, Yang D, Li Q, Du H, Liu M, Tang Y, Sun H. An organic molecular compound for in situ identification of mitochondrial G-quadruplexes in live cells. J Mater Chem B 2021; 10:430-437. [PMID: 34940779 DOI: 10.1039/d1tb02296b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Emerging studies have shown that mitochondrial G-quadruplex plays a critical role in regulating mitochondrial gene replication and transcription, which makes it a promising target for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer or other major diseases. Molecular compounds that can highly target the mitochondrial G-quadruplexes in live cells are essential for further revealing the function and mechanism of these G-quadruplexes. Here, we have developed an organic molecular compound that can highly target the mitochondria of living cells by virtue of the membrane potential mechanism. Then it shows high selectivity to the G-quadruplex structure in the mitochondria, and its fluorescence overlaps well with that of the BG4 antibody. Moreover, the compound has extremely low cytotoxicity and does not interfere with the natural state of G-quadruplex structure. With these good properties, this compound will have great potential in mitochondrial G-quadruplex tracking research or targeted drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Guo
- 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, P. R. China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China.,Basic Medical Science, Shenyang Medical college, Shenyang, 110034, P. R. China
| | - Hongbo Chen
- 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, P. R. China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Yan Liu
- 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, P. R. 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, P. R. China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Qian Li
- 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, P. R. China.
| | - Hongyan Du
- Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Public Security, Beijing, 100038, P. R. China
| | - Meirong Liu
- 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, P. R. 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, P. R. China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - 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, P. R. China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
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35
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Liu Y, Zhu X, Wang K, Zhang B, Qiu S. The Cellular Functions and Molecular Mechanisms of G-Quadruplex Unwinding Helicases in Humans. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:783889. [PMID: 34912850 PMCID: PMC8667583 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.783889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are stable non-canonical secondary structures formed by G-rich DNA or RNA sequences. They play various regulatory roles in many biological processes. It is commonly agreed that G4 unwinding helicases play key roles in G4 metabolism and function, and these processes are closely related to physiological and pathological processes. In recent years, more and more functional and mechanistic details of G4 helicases have been discovered; therefore, it is necessary to carefully sort out the current research efforts. Here, we provide a systematic summary of G4 unwinding helicases from the perspective of functions and molecular mechanisms. First, we provide a general introduction about helicases and G4s. Next, we comprehensively summarize G4 unfolding helicases in humans and their proposed cellular functions. Then, we review their study methods and molecular mechanisms. Finally, we share our perspective on further prospects. We believe this review will provide opportunities for researchers to reach the frontiers in the functions and molecular mechanisms of human G4 unwinding helicases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Key laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), Collaborative Innovation Center for Mountain Ecology and Agro-Bioengineering (CICMEAB), College of Life Sciences/Institute of Agro-bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- College of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
- The Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering and Biological Pharmacy of Guizhou Province, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- School of Liquor and Food Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xinting Zhu
- College of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Kejia Wang
- Key laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), Collaborative Innovation Center for Mountain Ecology and Agro-Bioengineering (CICMEAB), College of Life Sciences/Institute of Agro-bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- The Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering and Biological Pharmacy of Guizhou Province, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- School of Liquor and Food Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- College of Basic Medicine, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Shuyi Qiu
- Key laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Germplasm Innovation in Mountainous Region (Ministry of Education), Collaborative Innovation Center for Mountain Ecology and Agro-Bioengineering (CICMEAB), College of Life Sciences/Institute of Agro-bioengineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- The Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering and Biological Pharmacy of Guizhou Province, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- School of Liquor and Food Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
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36
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Zhang C, Xue Y, Wang L, Wu Q, Fang B, Sheng Y, Bai H, Peng B, Yang N, Li L. Progress on the Physiological Function of Mitochondrial DNA and Its Specific Detection and Therapy. Chembiochem 2021; 23:e202100474. [PMID: 34661371 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100474] [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: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the genetic information of mitochondrion, and its structure is circular double-stranded. Despite the diminutive size of the mitochondrial genome, mtDNA mutations are an important cause of mitochondrial diseases which are characterized by defects in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Mitochondrial diseases are involved in multiple systems, particularly in the organs that are highly dependent on aerobic metabolism. The diagnosis of mitochondrial disease is more complicated since mtDNA mutations can cause various clinical symptoms. To realize more accurate diagnosis and treatment of mitochondrial diseases, the detection of mtDNA and the design of drugs acting on it are extremely important. Over the past few years, many probes and therapeutic drugs targeting mtDNA have been developed, making significant contributions to fundamental research including elucidation of the mechanisms of mitochondrial diseases at the genetic level. In this review, we summarize the structure, function, and detection approaches for mtDNA. The most current topics in this field, such as mechanistic exploration and treatment of mtDNA mutation-related disorders, are also reviewed. Specific attention is given to discussing the design and development of these probes and drugs for mtDNA. We hope that this review will provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the importance of mtDNA, and promote the development of effective molecules for theragnosis of mtDNA mutation-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing Tech University (Nanjing Tech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, P. R. China
| | - Yufei Xue
- Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Xi'an Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE) and, Xi'an Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, 710072, P. R. China
| | - Lan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing Tech University (Nanjing Tech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, P. R. China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing Tech University (Nanjing Tech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, P. R. China
| | - Bin Fang
- Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Xi'an Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE) and, Xi'an Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, 710072, P. R. China
| | - Yu Sheng
- Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Xi'an Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE) and, Xi'an Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, 710072, P. R. China
| | - Hua Bai
- Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Xi'an Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE) and, Xi'an Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, 710072, P. R. China
| | - Bo Peng
- Frontiers Science Center for Flexible Electronics, Xi'an Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE) and, Xi'an Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 West Youyi Road, Xi'an, 710072, P. R. China
| | - Naidi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing Tech University (Nanjing Tech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, P. R. China
| | - Lin Li
- Key Laboratory of Flexible Electronics (KLOFE) and, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing Tech University (Nanjing Tech), 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, 211816, P. R. China.,The Institute of Flexible Electronics (IFE, Future Technologies), Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, Fujian, P. R. China
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37
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Dobrovodsky D, Danhel A, Mothes-Martin E, Pratviel G, Mergny JL, Fojta M. Voltammetric studies of selected porphyrin G-quadruplex ligands and their interaction with DNA in solution and at the mercury electrode surface. Electrochim Acta 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2021.139151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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38
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Interaction of 9-Methoxyluminarine with Different G-Quadruplex Topologies: Fluorescence and Circular Dichroism Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910399. [PMID: 34638738 PMCID: PMC8508660 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The interactions of G-quadruplexes of different topologies with highly fluorescent 9-methoxyluminarine ligand 9-MeLM were investigated by fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The results showed that 9-methoxyluminarine was able to interact and did not destabilize any investigated molecular targets. The studied compound was selectively quenched by parallel c-MYC G-quadruplex DNA, whereas hybrid and antiparallel G4 topology caused only a negligible decrease in the fluorescence of the ligand. A high decrease of fluorescence of the ligand after binding with c-MYC G-quadruplex suggests that this molecule can be used as a selective probe for parallel G-quadruplexes.
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Deiana M, Mosser M, Le Bahers T, Dumont E, Dudek M, Denis-Quanquin S, Sabouri N, Andraud C, Matczyszyn K, Monnereau C, Guy L. Light-induced in situ chemical activation of a fluorescent probe for monitoring intracellular G-quadruplex structures. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:13795-13808. [PMID: 34477654 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr02855c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Light-activated functional materials capable of remote control over duplex and G-quadruplex (G4) nucleic acids formation at the cellular level are still very rare. Herein, we report on the photoinduced macrocyclisation of a helicenoid quinoline derivative of binaphthol that selectively provides easy access to an unprecedented class of extended heteroaromatic structures with remarkable photophysical and DNA/RNA binding properties. Thus, while the native bisquinoline precursor shows no DNA binding activity, the new in situ photochemically generated probe features high association constants to DNA and RNA G4s. The latter inhibits DNA synthesis by selectively stabilizing G4 structures associated with oncogenic promoters and telomere repeat units. Finally, the light sensitive compound is capable of in cellulo photoconversion, localizes primarily in the G4-rich sites of cancer cells, competes with a well-known G4 binder and shows a clear nuclear co-localization with the quadruplex specific antibody BG4. This work provides a benchmark for the future design and development of a brand-new generation of light-activated target-selective G4-binders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Deiana
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden.
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40
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Pavlova AV, Kubareva EA, Monakhova MV, Zvereva MI, Dolinnaya NG. Impact of G-Quadruplexes on the Regulation of Genome Integrity, DNA Damage and Repair. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1284. [PMID: 34572497 PMCID: PMC8472537 DOI: 10.3390/biom11091284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA G-quadruplexes (G4s) are known to be an integral part of the complex regulatory systems in both normal and pathological cells. At the same time, the ability of G4s to impede DNA replication plays a critical role in genome integrity. This review summarizes the results of recent studies of G4-mediated genomic and epigenomic instability, together with associated DNA damage and repair processes. Although the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated, it is known that, among the proteins that recognize G4 structures, many are linked to DNA repair. We analyzed the possible role of G4s in promoting double-strand DNA breaks, one of the most deleterious DNA lesions, and their repair via error-prone mechanisms. The patterns of G4 damage, with a focus on the introduction of oxidative guanine lesions, as well as their removal from G4 structures by canonical repair pathways, were also discussed together with the effects of G4s on the repair machinery. According to recent findings, there must be a delicate balance between G4-induced genome instability and G4-promoted repair processes. A broad overview of the factors that modulate the stability of G4 structures in vitro and in vivo is also provided here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anzhela V. Pavlova
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (M.I.Z.); (N.G.D.)
| | - Elena A. Kubareva
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (E.A.K.); (M.V.M.)
| | - Mayya V. Monakhova
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (E.A.K.); (M.V.M.)
| | - Maria I. Zvereva
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (M.I.Z.); (N.G.D.)
| | - Nina G. Dolinnaya
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1, 119991 Moscow, Russia; (M.I.Z.); (N.G.D.)
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41
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Deiana M, Obi I, Andreasson M, Tamilselvi S, Chand K, Chorell E, Sabouri N. A Minimalistic Coumarin Turn-On Probe for Selective Recognition of Parallel G-Quadruplex DNA Structures. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:1365-1376. [PMID: 34328300 PMCID: PMC8397291 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
![]()
G-quadruplex (G4)
DNA structures are widespread in the human genome
and are implicated in biologically important processes such as telomere
maintenance, gene regulation, and DNA replication. Guanine-rich sequences
with potential to form G4 structures are prevalent in the promoter
regions of oncogenes, and G4 sites are now considered as attractive
targets for anticancer therapies. However, there are very few reports
of small “druglike” optical G4 reporters that are easily
accessible through one-step synthesis and that are capable of discriminating
between different G4 topologies. Here, we present a small water-soluble
light-up fluorescent probe that features a minimalistic amidinocoumarin-based
molecular scaffold that selectively targets parallel G4 structures
over antiparallel and non-G4 structures. We showed that this biocompatible
ligand is able to selectively stabilize the G4 template resulting
in slower DNA synthesis. By tracking individual DNA molecules, we
demonstrated that the G4-stabilizing ligand perturbs DNA replication
in cancer cells, resulting in decreased cell viability. Moreover,
the fast-cellular entry of the probe enabled detection of nucleolar
G4 structures in living cells. Finally, insights gained from the structure–activity
relationships of the probe suggest the basis for the recognition of
parallel G4s, opening up new avenues for the design of new biocompatible
G4-specific small molecules for G4-driven theranostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Deiana
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ikenna Obi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Måns Andreasson
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Shanmugam Tamilselvi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Karam Chand
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Erik Chorell
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nasim Sabouri
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
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Santos T, Salgado GF, Cabrita EJ, Cruz C. G-Quadruplexes and Their Ligands: Biophysical Methods to Unravel G-Quadruplex/Ligand Interactions. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:769. [PMID: 34451866 PMCID: PMC8401999 DOI: 10.3390/ph14080769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Progress in the design of G-quadruplex (G4) binding ligands relies on the availability of approaches that assess the binding mode and nature of the interactions between G4 forming sequences and their putative ligands. The experimental approaches used to characterize G4/ligand interactions can be categorized into structure-based methods (circular dichroism (CD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography), affinity and apparent affinity-based methods (surface plasmon resonance (SPR), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and mass spectrometry (MS)), and high-throughput methods (fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-melting, G4-fluorescent intercalator displacement assay (G4-FID), affinity chromatography and microarrays. Each method has unique advantages and drawbacks, which makes it essential to select the ideal strategies for the biological question being addressed. The structural- and affinity and apparent affinity-based methods are in several cases complex and/or time-consuming and can be combined with fast and cheap high-throughput approaches to improve the design and development of new potential G4 ligands. In recent years, the joint use of these techniques permitted the discovery of a huge number of G4 ligands investigated for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Overall, this review article highlights in detail the most commonly used approaches to characterize the G4/ligand interactions, as well as the applications and types of information that can be obtained from the use of each technique.
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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, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal;
| | - Gilmar F. Salgado
- ARNA Laboratory, Université de Bordeaux, Inserm U1212, CNRS UMR 5320, IECB, 33607 Pessac, France;
| | - Eurico J. Cabrita
- UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal;
- Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2819-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - Carla Cruz
- CICS-UBI—Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Av. Infante D. Henrique, 6200-506 Covilhã, Portugal;
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Yan KKP, Obi I, Sabouri N. The RGG domain in the C-terminus of the DEAD box helicases Dbp2 and Ded1 is necessary for G-quadruplex destabilization. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:8339-8354. [PMID: 34302476 PMCID: PMC8373067 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of G-quadruplex (G4) binding proteins and insights into their mechanism of action are important for understanding the regulatory functions of G4 structures. Here, we performed an unbiased affinity-purification assay coupled with mass spectrometry and identified 30 putative G4 binding proteins from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Gene ontology analysis of the molecular functions enriched in this pull-down assay included mRNA binding, RNA helicase activity, and translation regulator activity. We focused this study on three of the identified proteins that possessed putative arginine-glycine-glycine (RGG) domains, namely the Stm1 homolog Oga1 and the DEAD box RNA helicases Dbp2 and Ded1. We found that Oga1, Dbp2, and Ded1 bound to both DNA and RNA G4s in vitro. Both Dbp2 and Ded1 bound to G4 structures through the RGG domain located in the C-terminal region of the helicases, and point mutations in this domain weakened the G4 binding properties of the helicases. Dbp2 and Ded1 destabilized less thermostable G4 RNA and DNA structures, and this ability was independent of ATP but dependent on the RGG domain. Our study provides the first evidence that the RGG motifs in DEAD box helicases are necessary for both G4 binding and G4 destabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Kok-Phen Yan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ikenna Obi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Nasim Sabouri
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
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Verma S, Ravichandiran V, Ranjan N. Beyond amyloid proteins: Thioflavin T in nucleic acid recognition. Biochimie 2021; 190:111-123. [PMID: 34118329 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Thioflavin T (ThT) is a commercially available fluorescent dye that is commonly used in biomedical research for over five decades. It was first reported as an extrinsic fluorescent probe for the detection of amyloid fibrils and related processes and it has also been used extensively for assessing protein binding in fluorescence-based assays. Although the nucleic acid binding of ThT was reported half of a century ago in the 1970s, it was not widely explored until the start of this decade. In recent years, Thioflavin T has become a major tool in the recognition of many types of non-canonical nucleic acid conformations including duplexes, triplexes, and G-quadruplexes. The propensity of ThT binding is more towards base aberrations, bulges, and mismatches highlighting its importance in serving as a diagnostic tool in a variety of ailments/disease conditions. In this review, we cover major advancements in nucleic acid detection/binding by ThT to a variety of nucleic acid structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smita Verma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Raebareli, New Transit Campus, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226002, India; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Kolkata, Maniktala Main Road, Kolkata, 700054, India
| | - Velayutham Ravichandiran
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Kolkata, Maniktala Main Road, Kolkata, 700054, India
| | - Nihar Ranjan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Raebareli, New Transit Campus, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226002, India.
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45
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Yu Z, Hendricks AL, Cowan JA. G-quadruplex targeting chemical nucleases as a nonperturbative tool for analysis of cellular G-quadruplex DNA. iScience 2021; 24:102661. [PMID: 34189433 PMCID: PMC8215219 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplex structures are associated with various biological activities, while in vivo evidence is essential to confirm the formation of G-quadruplexes inside cells. Most conventional agents that recognize G-quadruplex, including antibodies and small-molecule G-quadruplex ligands, either stabilize the G-quadruplex or prevent G-quadruplex unfolding by helicase, thereby artificially increasing the G-quadruplex levels in cells. Unambiguous study of G-quadruplexes at natural cellular levels requires agents that do not enhance the stability of G-quadruplex. Herein, we report the first example of nonperturbative chemical nucleases that do not influence the stability of G-quadruplex telomeric DNA but can selectively cleave G-quadruplex DNA over duplex DNA. These chemical nucleases can be readily taken up by cells and promote selective cleavage of telomeric DNA with low levels of nonselective DNA cleavage of other regions of the genome. The cleavage of G-quadruplex telomeric DNA by nonperturbative chemical nucleases confirms the formation of G-quadruplex telomeric DNA in live cells. Novel chemical nucleases exhibit no effect on G-quadruplex telomeric DNA stability Selective nucleases cleave G-quadruplex DNA over duplex DNA Cleavage of G-quadruplex telomeric DNA motifs confirms their existence in cells
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Amber L. Hendricks
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - James A. Cowan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Corresponding author
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Mustafa G, Shiekh S, Gc K, Abeysirigunawardena S, Balci H. Interrogating accessibility of telomeric sequences with FRET-PAINT: evidence for length-dependent telomere compaction. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:3371-3380. [PMID: 33693934 PMCID: PMC8034622 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-stranded telomeric overhangs are ∼200 nucleotides long and can form tandem G-quadruplex (GQ) structures, which reduce their accessibility to nucleases and proteins that activate DNA damage response. Whether these tandem GQs further stack to form compact superstructures, which may provide better protection for longer telomeres, is not known. We report single-molecule measurements where the accessibility of 24-144 nucleotide long human telomeric DNA molecules is interrogated by a short PNA molecule that is complementary to a single GGGTTA repeat, as implemented in the FRET-PAINT method. Binding of the PNA strand to available GGGTTA sequences results in discrete FRET bursts which were analyzed in terms of their dwell times, binding frequencies, and topographic distributions. The binding frequencies were greater for binding to intermediate regions of telomeric DNA compared to 3'- or 5'-ends, suggesting these regions are more accessible. Significantly, the binding frequency per telomeric repeat monotonically decreased with increasing telomere length. These results are consistent with telomeres forming more compact structures at longer lengths, reducing accessibility of these critical genomic sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Golam Mustafa
- Department of Physics, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
| | - Sajad Shiekh
- Department of Physics, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
| | - Keshav Gc
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
| | | | - Hamza Balci
- Department of Physics, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA
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47
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Pandith A, Nagarajachari U, Siddappa RKG, Lee S, Park CJ, Sannathammegowda K, Seo YJ. Loop-mediated fluorescent probes for selective discrimination of parallel and antiparallel G-Quadruplexes. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 35:116077. [PMID: 33631656 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Herein we report simple pyridinium (1-3) and quinolinium (4) salts for the selective recognition of G-quadruplexes (G4s). Among them, the probe 1, interestingly, selectively discriminated parallel (c-KIT-1, c-KIT-2, c-MYC) G4s from anti-parallel/hybrid (22AG, HRAS-1, BOM-17, TBA) G4s at pH 7.2, through a switch on response in the far-red window. Significant changes in the absorption (broad 575 nm → sharp 505 nm) and emission of probe 1 at 620 nm, attributed to selective interaction with parallel G4s, resulted in complete disaggregation-induced monomer emission. Symmetrical push/pull molecular confinements across the styryl units in probe 1 enhanced the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) by restricting the free rotation of CC units in the presence of sterically less hindered and highly accessible G4 surface/bottom tetrads in the parallel G4s, which is relatively lower extent in antiparallel/hybrid G4s. We confirm that the disaggregation of probe 1 was very effective in the presence of parallel G4-forming ODNs, due to the presence of highly available free surface area, resulting in additional π-stacking interactions. The selective sensing capabilities of probe 1 were analyzed using UV-Vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, molecular dynamics (MD)-based simulation studies, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. This study should afford insights for the future design of selective compounds targeting parallel G4s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anup Pandith
- Department of Chemistry, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | | | | | - Sungjin Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Chin-Ju Park
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Young Jun Seo
- Department of Chemistry, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea.
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48
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Liu S, Bu L, Zhang Y, Yan J, Li L, Li G, Song Z, Huang J. Subtle Structural Changes of Dyes Lead to Distinctly Different Fluorescent Behaviors in Cellular Context: The Role of G-Quadruplex DNA Interaction Using Coumarin-Quinazolinone Conjugates as a Case Study. Anal Chem 2021; 93:5267-5276. [PMID: 33724782 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c00301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Fluorogenic organic materials have gained tremendous attention due to their unique properties. However, only a few of them are suitable for bioimaging. Their different behaviors in organic and cellular environments hinder their application in bioimaging. Thus understanding the photoluminescent behaviors of organic materials in a cellular context is particularly important for their rational design. Herein, we describe two coumarin-quinazolinone conjugates: CQ and MeCQ. The high structure similarity makes them possess similar physical and photophysical properties, including bright fluorescence ascribed to the monomer forms in organic solvents and aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect due to self-assembly aggregation in aqueous solution. However, they behave quite differently in cellular context: that is, CQ exhibits bright fluorescence in living cells, while the fluorescence of MeCQ is almost undetectable. The different performance between CQ and MeCQ in living cells is attributed to their different scenario in G-quadruplex (G4) DNA interaction. CQ selectively binds with G4 DNA to recover its fluorescence via aggregation-disaggregation switching in living cells, while MeCQ remained in the aggregate form due to its poor interplay with G4 DNA. Furthermore, CQ is applied as a two-photon fluorescent dye, and its photoswitchable fluorescence capability is exploited for super-resolution imaging of the specific mitochondrial structure in living cells via the STORM technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Liu
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Nanomedicine (ICBN), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, P. R. China.,Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Lingli Bu
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Nanomedicine (ICBN), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, P. R. China.,Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Yuming Zhang
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Nanomedicine (ICBN), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Jiangyu Yan
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Nanomedicine (ICBN), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Ling Li
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Nanomedicine (ICBN), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, P. R. China.,Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Guorui Li
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Nanomedicine (ICBN), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, P. R. China
| | - Zhibin Song
- Key Laboratory of Functional Small Organic Molecules, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, Jiangxi, P.R. China
| | - Jing Huang
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Nanomedicine (ICBN), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, P. R. China.,Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecular Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, P. R. China
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49
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De Magis A, Kastl M, Brossart P, Heine A, Paeschke K. BG-flow, a new flow cytometry tool for G-quadruplex quantification in fixed cells. BMC Biol 2021; 19:45. [PMID: 33706790 PMCID: PMC7953821 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-00986-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nucleic acids can fold into non-canonical secondary structures named G-quadruplexes (G4s), which consist of guanine-rich sequences stacked into guanine tetrads stabilized by Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions, and monovalent cations. G4 structure formation and properties are well established in vitro, but potential in vivo functions remain controversial. G4s are evolutionarily enriched at distinct, functional genomic loci, and both genetic and molecular findings indicate that G4s are involved in multiple aspects of cellular homeostasis. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the function of G4 structures and the trigger signals for their formation, robust biochemical methods are needed to detect and quantify G4 structures in living cells. Currently available methods mostly rely on fluorescence microscopy or deep sequencing of immunoprecipitated DNA or RNA using G4-specific antibodies. These methods provide a clear picture of the cellular or genomic localization of G4 structures but are very time-consuming. Here, we assembled a novel protocol that uses the G4-specific antibody BG4 to quantify G4 structures by flow cytometry (BG-flow). RESULTS We describe and validate a flow cytometry-based protocol for quantifying G4 levels by using the G4-specific antibody BG4 to label standard cultured cells (Hela and THP-1) as well as primary cells obtained from human blood (peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)). We additionally determined changes in G4 levels during the cell cycle in immortalized MCF-7 cells, and validated changes previously observed in G4 levels by treating mouse macrophages with the G4-stabilizing agent pyridostatin (PDS). CONCLUSION We provide mechanistic proof that BG-flow is working in different kinds of cells ranging from mouse to humans. We propose that BG-flow can be combined with additional antibodies for cell surface markers to determine G4 structures in subpopulations of cells, which will be beneficial to address the relevance and consequences of G4 structures in mixed cell populations. This will support ongoing research that discusses G4 structures as a novel diagnostic tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio De Magis
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Melanie Kastl
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Peter Brossart
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Annkristin Heine
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Katrin Paeschke
- Department of Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
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Savva L, Georgiades SN. Recent Developments in Small-Molecule Ligands of Medicinal Relevance for Harnessing the Anticancer Potential of G-Quadruplexes. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26040841. [PMID: 33562720 PMCID: PMC7914483 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26040841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
G-quadruplexes, a family of tetraplex helical nucleic acid topologies, have emerged in recent years as novel targets, with untapped potential for anticancer research. Their potential stems from the fact that G-quadruplexes occur in functionally-important regions of the human genome, such as the telomere tandem sequences, several proto-oncogene promoters, other regulatory regions and sequences of DNA (e.g., rDNA), as well as in mRNAs encoding for proteins with roles in tumorigenesis. Modulation of G-quadruplexes, via interaction with high-affinity ligands, leads to their stabilization, with numerous observed anticancer effects. Despite the fact that only a few lead compounds for G-quadruplex modulation have progressed to clinical trials so far, recent advancements in the field now create conditions that foster further development of drug candidates. This review highlights biological processes through which G-quadruplexes can exert their anticancer effects and describes, via selected case studies, progress of the last few years on the development of efficient and drug-like G-quadruplex-targeted ligands, intended to harness the anticancer potential offered by G-quadruplexes. The review finally provides a critical discussion of perceived challenges and limitations that have previously hampered the progression of G-quadruplex-targeted lead compounds to clinical trials, concluding with an optimistic future outlook.
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