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Updated: Aug 15, 2025

Single-Molecule Fluorescence Visualization of DNA Polymerase Dynamics at G-Quadruplexes
Published on: April 4, 2025
Endogenous G-quadruplex-forming RNAs inhibit the activity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase
Tamaki Endoh1, Shuntaro Takahashi1, Naoki Sugimoto1,2
1Frontier Institute for Biomolecular Engineering Research (FIBER), Konan University, 7-1-20 Minatojima-minamimachi, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan. sugimoto@konan-u.ac.jp.
Abstract:
Replication of RNA viruses is catalysed by virus-specific polymerases, which can be targets of therapeutic strategies. In this study, we used a selection strategy to identify endogenous RNAs from a transcriptome library derived from lung cells that interact with the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of SARS-CoV-2. Some of the selected RNAs weakened the activity of RdRp by forming G-quadruplexes. These results suggest that certain endogenous RNAs, which potentially form G-quadruplexes, can reduce the replication of viral RNAs.
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