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Updated: Mar 17, 2026

Single-Molecule Fluorescence Visualization of DNA Polymerase Dynamics at G-Quadruplexes

Single-Molecule Fluorescence Visualization of DNA Polymerase Dynamics at G-Quadruplexes

Published on: April 4, 2025

Multivalent Interactions between an Aromatic Helical Foldamer and a DNA G-Quadruplex in the Solid State.

Pradeep K Mandal^1,2,3, Benoît Baptiste^1,2,3, Béatrice Langlois d'Estaintot^1,2,3

¹University of Bordeaux, CBMN, UMR 5248), Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, 2 rue Escarpit, 33600, Pessac, France.

Chembiochem : a European Journal of Chemical Biology

|July 30, 2016

Summary

Quinoline oligoamide foldamers bind G-quadruplex DNA by targeting loops or grooves. A co-crystal structure confirms this, showing foldamer interactions that alter DNA packing in the solid state.

Keywords:

DNA ligands DNA structures G-quadruplexes foldamers solid-state interactions

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Single-molecule Manipulation of G-quadruplexes by Magnetic Tweezers

Single-molecule Manipulation of G-quadruplexes by Magnetic Tweezers

Published on: September 19, 2017

Area of Science:

Medicinal Chemistry
Structural Biology
Biochemistry

Background:

G-quadruplex DNA structures are increasingly recognized as therapeutic targets.
Quinoline-based oligoamide foldamers show promise as ligands for G-quadruplex DNA.
The precise binding mode of these foldamers to G-quadruplexes is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the structural basis of quinoline oligoamide foldamer binding to G-quadruplex DNA.
To investigate the interaction between a specific foldamer and an antiparallel hairpin dimeric G-quadruplex.
To provide structural evidence for the proposed targeting of G-quadruplex loops or grooves.

Main Methods:

Co-crystallography was employed to determine the structure of the G-quadruplex-foldamer complex.
The study focused on the (G4T4G4)2 G-quadruplex and a specific tetrameric quinolinecarboxamide foldamer.
Structural analysis was performed to understand the foldamer-DNA interactions and their effect on DNA packing.

Main Results:

A co-crystal structure of the (G4T4G4)2 G-quadruplex with the quinoline oligoamide foldamer was successfully obtained.
The structure is consistent with the hypothesis that foldamers target G-quadruplex loops or grooves, not the G-tetrad core.
Multivalent foldamer-DNA interactions were observed, influencing the packing of the G-quadruplex in the solid state.

Conclusions:

The co-crystal structure provides direct evidence for the binding mode of quinoline oligoamide foldamers to G-quadruplex DNA.
These foldamers represent a promising class of ligands for G-quadruplex structures.
The observed interactions offer insights into the design of novel G-quadruplex-targeting therapeutics.