Consecutive formation of G-Quadruplexes in human telomerieoverhang DNA: A protective capping structure for telomere ends

Abstract

The end of the line: Structural studies demonstrate the consecutive formation of C-quadruplexes in human single-stranded telomeric-overhang DNA. A higher-order DNA C-quadruplex structure was found to protect DNA double-strand ends from being recognized as double-strand breaks and to direct against nuclease hydrolysis, suggesting that the superhelix structure may provide protective "capping" for the telomere ends. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH S. Co. KGaA, www.angewandte.org.