Formation and biological functions of unusual DNA/RNA structures formed by repeat sequences.

超过50%的基因组是串联重复的DNA序列，包括端粒、着丝粒、大卫星、小卫星和微卫星重复。重复DNA可以存在于典型的右手B型双螺旋之外的不寻常的结构中。重复序列在基因和染色体中的特定位置突出了它们在生物学上的重要性，特别是关于它们形成的不寻常的结构。有证据表明，重复结构在基因调控、剪接、重组、表观遗传调控、重复长度突变等方面发挥作用，其功能可能通过重复形成的生物物理结构来反映。重要的是，重复束的长度极易发生变化，这些长度的变化会极大地影响它们的生物学功能。长度的变化可能涉及到不寻常的结构。我们的目标是了解不寻常的重复结构以及它们如何改变长度。

More than 50% of most genomes are tandem repetitive DNA sequences, including telomeres, centromeres, macro-, mini- and microsatellite repeats. Repeat DNAs can exist in unusual structures beyond the canonical right-handed B-form double helix. The specific locations of repeats in genes and chromosomes highlight their biological importance, particularly with respect to the unusual structures they form. Evidence indicates that repeat structures play roles in gene regulation, splicing, recombination, epigenetic regulation, repeat length mutation, etc. Functions are likely to be reflected by the biophysical structures formed by the repeats. Importantly, the length of the repeat tracts are hyper-prone to change and these length changes can dramatically affect their biological function. Length changes likely involve unusual structures. Our goal is to understand unusual repeat structures and how they can change lengths.