G-quadruplex structures within the 3' UTR of LINE-1 elements stimulate retrotransposition
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Updated: Mar 8, 2026

Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level
Published on: April 23, 2016
Aleksandr B Sahakyan1,2, Pierre Murat1,2, Clemens Mayer1,2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Abstract:
Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) are ubiquitous transposable elements in higher eukaryotes that have a significant role in shaping genomes, owing to their abundance. Here we report that guanine-rich sequences in the 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of hominoid-specific LINE-1 elements are coupled with retrotransposon speciation and contribute to retrotransposition through the formation of G-quadruplex (G4) structures. We demonstrate that stabilization of the G4 motif of a human-specific LINE-1 element by small-molecule ligands stimulates retrotransposition.
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