Work

Mitochondria and G-quadruplex evolution: an intertwined relationship

Year: 2022

Type: review

Abstract: G-quadruplexes (G4s) are non-canonical structures formed in guanine (G)-rich sequences through stacked G tetrads by Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding. Several studies have demonstrated the existence of G4s in the genome of various organisms, including humans, and have proposed that G4s have a regulatory role in various cellular functions. However, little is known regarding the dissemination of G4s in mitochondria. In this review, we report the observation that the number of potential G4-forming sequences in the mitochondrial genome increases with the evolutionary complexity of different species, suggesting that G4s have a beneficial role in higher-order organisms. We also discuss the possible function of G4s in mitochondrial (mt)DNA and long noncoding (lnc)RNA and their role in various biological processes.

Source: Trends in Genetics

DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.10.006

Authors: Vinodh J. Sahayasheela, Zutao Yu, Takuya Hidaka, Ganesh N. Pandian, Hiroshi Sugiyama

Institutions: Kyoto University, Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University

Language: English

Topic: DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $6,700