TY - JOUR ID - 15166 TI - G4 self-assembly as an intrinsic nucleic acid function JO - Advanced Materials Letters JA - AML LA - en SN - 0976-3961 AU - Varizhuk, Anna AU - Severov, Vyacheslav AU - Pozmogova, Galina AD - Y1 - 2018 PY - 2018 VL - 9 IS - 2 SP - 91 EP - 96 KW - G KW - quadruplex KW - self KW - assembly KW - DNA damage KW - chromosomal rearrangements DO - 10.5185/amlett.2018.2003 N2 - It is now commonly acknowledged that G-rich polynucleotide sites can fold into G-quadruplex (G4) structures in vivo. In terms of molecular programming, the G4-folding propensity can be regarded as a build-in nucleic acid function with multiple implications for genomic regulation. Here we review several important advances in the studies of G4 self-assemblies in genomic context. We discuss prerequisites and consequences of G4 formation upon transcription or replication and analyze recent data on G4-dependent genomic rearrangements, including translocation and recombination. Hypothetical mechanisms of those G4-dependent rearrangements suggest self-association of G-rich sites. We outline the general molecular basis for possible self-association pathways, i.e., formation of intermolecular G4 assemblies or interquadruplex stacking. Intermolecular G4s and multimeric G4 stacks attract widespread interest as scaffolds for the development of complex junctions in DNA nanotechnology and have prospects in aptamer design, but in this review we focus on fundamental aspects of such higher-order G4 assemblies. UR - https://aml.iaamonline.org/article_15166.html L1 - https://aml.iaamonline.org/article_15166_700b2ccde529a0f36c6db9b231219720.pdf ER -