Confined space facilitates G-quadruplex formation

Nat Nanotechnol. 2017 Jul;12(6):582-588. doi: 10.1038/nnano.2017.29. Epub 2017 Mar 27.

Abstract

Molecular simulations suggest that the stability of a folded macromolecule increases in a confined space due to entropic effects. However, due to the interactions between the confined molecular structure and the walls of the container, clear-cut experimental evidence for this prediction is lacking. Here, using DNA origami nanocages, we show the pure effect of confined space on the property of individual human telomeric DNA G-quadruplexes. We induce targeted mechanical unfolding of the G-quadruplex while leaving the nanocage unperturbed. We find that the mechanical and thermodynamic stabilities of the G-quadruplex inside the nanocage increase with decreasing cage size. Compared to the case of diluted or molecularly crowded buffer solutions, the G-quadruplex inside the nanocage is significantly more stable, showing a 100 times faster folding rate. Our findings suggest the possibility of co-replicational or co-transcriptional folding of G-quadruplex inside the polymerase machinery in cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • DNA / chemistry*
  • G-Quadruplexes*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*

Substances

  • DNA