Spotlight on G-Quadruplexes: From Structure and Modulation to Physiological and Pathological Roles

Abstract

G-quadruplexes or G4s are non-canonical secondary structures of nucleic acids characterized by guanines arranged in stacked tetraplex arrays. Decades of research into these peculiar assemblies of DNA and RNA, fueled by the development and optimization of a vast array of techniques and assays, has resulted in a large amount of information regarding their structure, stability, localization, and biological significance in native systems. A plethora of articles have reported the roles of G-quadruplexes in multiple pathways across several species, ranging from gene expression regulation to RNA biogenesis and trafficking, DNA replication, and genome maintenance. Crucially, a large amount of experimental evidence has highlighted the roles of G-quadruplexes in cancer biology and other pathologies, pointing at these structurally unique guanine assemblies as amenable drug targets. Given the rapid expansion of this field of research, this review aims at summarizing all the relevant aspects of G-quadruplex biology by combining and discussing results from seminal works as well as more recent and cutting-edge experimental evidence. Additionally, the most common methodologies used to study G4s are presented to aid the reader in critically interpreting and integrating experimental data.