Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Single-Molecule Fluorescence Visualization of DNA Polymerase Dynamics at G-Quadruplexes
Published on: April 4, 2025
Aza-Macrocyclic Triphenylamine Ligands for G-Quadruplex Recognition
Isabel Pont1,2, Jorge González-García1,2, Mario Inclán1
1Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Molecular Science, University of Valencia, Catedrático José Beltran 2, 46980, Paterna, Spain.
Abstract:
A new series of triphenylamine-based ligands with one (TPA1PY), two (TPA2PY) or three pendant aza-macrocycle(s) (TPA3PY) has been synthesised and studied by means of pH-metric titrations, UV/Vis spectroscopy and fluorescence experiments. The affinity of these ligands for G-quadruplex (G4) DNA and the selectivity they show for G4s over duplex DNA were investigated by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) melting assays, fluorimetric titrations and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Interestingly, the interactions of the bi- and especially the tri-branched ligands with G4s lead to a very intense redshifted fluorescence emission band that may be associated with intermolecular aggregation between the molecule and DNA. This light-up effect allows the application of the ligands as fluorescence probes to selectively detect G4s.
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