美国加州大学河滨分校Wenwan Zhong和Richard J. Hooley团队利用主客体识别开发了一种对G-四链体结构选择性识别和分类的新方法。相关论文发表在2021年4月1日出版的《自然-化学》杂志上。

在该文中，研究人员展示了一种可荧光检测寡核苷酸二级结构的合成主客体分子染料阵列。利用能与DNA G-四链体和合成主体分子结合的阳离子染料，研究人员对不同的荧光增强进行了多变量分析，使其能区别长度相同且拓扑结构高度类似的不同G-四链体结构。

具有同样折叠拓扑学构型的不同G-四链体也可以根据其中G四重序列数量的不同和3'及5'端序列的不同得到区分。该阵列可同时对G-四链体结构进行区别和分类。这一非侵入式传感方法不需要发现与合成特异性的G-四链体结合配体，而是使用了一个简单的多组分方法来确保其普适性。

据了解，核酸的二级结构对其细胞学功能有重要的影响，但很难快速识别和归类。

附：英文原文

Title: Selective discrimination and classification of G-quadruplex structures with a host–guest sensing array

Author: Junyi Chen, Briana L. Hickey, Linlin Wang, Jiwon Lee, Adam D. Gill, Alessia Favero, Roberta Pinalli, Enrico Dalcanale, Richard J. Hooley, Wenwan Zhong

Issue&Volume: 2021-04-01

Abstract: The secondary structures of nucleic acids have an important influence on their cellular functions but can be difficult to identify and classify quickly. Here, we show that an arrayed suite of synthetic hosts and dyes is capable of fluorescence detection of oligonucleotide secondary structures. Multivariate analysis of different fluorescence enhancements—generated using cationic dyes that show affinity for both DNA G-quadruplexes and the synthetic hosts—enables discrimination between G-quadruplex structures of identical length and highly similar topological types. Different G-quadruplexes that display the same folding topology can also be easily differentiated by the number of G-quartets and sequence differences at the 3′ or 5′ ends. The array is capable of both differentiation and classification of the G-quadruplex structures at the same time. This simple non-invasive sensing method does not require the discovery and synthesis of specific G-quadruplex binding ligands, but employs a simple multicomponent approach to ensure wide applicability.

DOI: 10.1038/s41557-021-00647-9

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41557-021-00647-9