Guanine-rich nucleic acids have the ability to adopt quadruple helical structures consisting of a core of four guanines arranged in stacked tetrads. These four-stranded structures are commonly known as G-DNA and they exist as stable conformers readily observed in the chromosomes of eukaryotes or as isolated synthetic assemblies. Genome stability and the controlled expression of specific proto-oncogenes rely on G-DNA structures, where their presence in these locations interferes with events associated with neoplastic transformation. The potential for G-DNA stabilization to serve as an anti-proliferative mechanism is of great interest for drug development, as well as the design of theranostic devices. The work described here utilizes a supramolecular G-DNA (G-wire) that is self-assembled from a guanine rich oligonucleotide (GRO) as a potential decoy molecule that would disrupt normal cell function. G-wires possess nanoscaffolding properties that allow for external modification and the creation of potential novel carrier molecules. Recently, the conditions for introducing G-wires into a mammalian cancer cell line using a generation 5 dendrimer have been identified. Current work is underway to quantify the cellular uptake, dispersion, and proliferative response of affected cells.

Supramolecular guanine-rich quadruplexes and their transfection into mammalian cells

249th National Meeting (2015)

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