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Updated: May 22, 2026

Single-molecule Manipulation of G-quadruplexes by Magnetic Tweezers
Published on: September 19, 2017
Phthalocyanines: a new class of G-quadruplex-ligands with many potential applications
Hidenobu Yaku1, Takeshi Fujimoto, Takashi Murashima
1Advanced Technology Research Laboratories, Panasonic Corporation, 3-4 Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto 619-0237, Japan.
Abstract:
A G-quadruplex is a four-stranded DNA structure featuring stacked guanine tetrads, G-quartets. Formation of a G-quadruplex in telomere DNA can inhibit telomerase activity; therefore, development of G-quadruplex-ligands, which induce and/or stabilize G-quadruplexes, has become an area of great interest. Phthalocyanine derivatives have substantial potential as high-affinity G-quadruplex-ligands because these planar chromophores are similar in size and shape to the G-quartets. Here, we focus on the latest findings on phthalocyanine derivatives as G-quadruplex-ligands, and discuss the mechanisms by which phthalocyanines bind to G-quadruplexes with high affinity and selectivity. We also discuss potential biomedical and organic electronic applications of phthalocyanines that are dependent on their photophysical properties.
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