RNA G-quadruplexes and stress: emerging mechanisms and functions

Prakash Kharel; Pavel Ivanov

doi:10.1016/j.tcb.2024.01.005

RNA G-quadruplexes and stress: emerging mechanisms and functions

Trends Cell Biol. 2024 Feb 9:S0962-8924(24)00005-9. doi: 10.1016/j.tcb.2024.01.005. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Prakash Kharel¹, Pavel Ivanov²

Affiliations

¹ Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: pkharel@bwh.harvard.edu.
² Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: pivanov@bwh.harvard.edu.

PMID: 38341346
DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2024.01.005

Abstract

RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s) are noncanonical secondary structures formed by guanine-rich sequences that are found in different regions of RNA molecules. These structures have been implicated in diverse biological processes, including translation, splicing, and RNA stability. Recent studies have suggested that rG4s play a role in the cellular response to stress. This review summarizes the current knowledge on rG4s under stress, focusing on their formation, regulation, and potential functions in stress response pathways. We discuss the molecular mechanisms that regulate the formation of rG4 under different stress conditions and the impact of these structures on RNA metabolism, gene expression, and cell survival. Finally, we highlight the potential therapeutic implications of targeting rG4s for the treatment of stress-related diseases through modulating cell survival.

Keywords: G-quadruplexes; RNA granules; RNA metabolism; cell survival; cellular stress; stress response mechanism.

Publication types

Review