Bioinformatic analysis reveals an evolutional selection for DNA:RNA hybrid G-quadruplex structures as putative transcription regulatory elements in warm-blooded animals.

ABSTRACT: Recently, we reported the co-transcriptional formation of DNA:RNA hybrid G-quadruplex (HQ) structure by the non-template DNA strand and nascent RNA transcript, which in turn modulates transcription under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Here we present bioinformatic analysis on putative HQ-forming sequences (PHQS) in the genomes of eukaryotic organisms. Starting from amphibian, PHQS motifs are concentrated in the immediate 1000-nt region downstream of transcription start sites, implying their potential role in transcription regulation. Moreover, their occurrence shows a strong bias toward the non-template versus the template strand. PHQS has become constitutional in genes in warm-blooded animals, and the magnitude of the strand bias correlates with the ability of PHQS to form HQ, sugg

SUBMITTER: Xiao S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3905843 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature