Chemical Mapping of G-Quadruplexes in the Genome

在活细胞中发现的DNA是编程与生命相关的功能的基础。据推测，所有的DNA主要是作为一个典型的双链双螺旋存在，如沃森和克里克提出的。然而，有越来越多的证据表明，一个四链四螺旋DNA结构，称为四链体，可能能够形成，并可能具有功能意义。该提案旨在直接探索这种四链体结构是否存在于细胞中，并定位在人类基因组中约30亿个DNA碱基中存在四链体的位置。结果将直接解决中心假设，也可能为未来的治疗确定新的功能靶点。

The DNA found in living cells is the basis for programming the functions associated with life. It has been assumed that all DNA exists primarily as a canonical two stranded double helix, as proposed by Watson and Crick. However, there is mounting evidence to suggest that a four stranded quadruple helix DNA structure, called a quadruplex, may be able to form, and may have a functional significance. This proposal aims to directly explore whether such quadruplex structures exist in cell and to localise where in the ~ 3 Billion bases of DNA, in the human geneome, quadruplexes exist. The outcome(s) will directly address the central hypothesis and may also identify new functional targets for future therapeutics.