G-Quadruplex Structures in Bacteria: Biological Relevance and Potential as an Antimicrobial Target
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Date
2021-06
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Abstract
DNA strands consisting of multiple runs of guanines can adopt a nonca
nonical, four-stranded DNA secondary structure known as G-quadruplex or G4 DNA.
G4 DNA is thought to play an important role in transcriptional and translational
regulation of genes, DNA replication, genome stability, and oncogene expression in
eukaryotic genomes. In other organisms, including several bacterial pathogens and
some plant species, the biological roles of G4 DNA and G4 RNA are starting to be
explored. Recent investigations showed that G4 DNA and G4 RNA are generally con
served across plant species. In silico analyses of several bacterial genomes identified
putative guanine-rich, G4 DNA-forming sequences in promoter regions. The sequen
ces were particularly abundant in certain gene classes, suggesting that these highly
diverse structures can be employed to regulate the expression of genes involved in
secondary metabolite synthesis and signal transduction. Furthermore, in the patho
gen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the distribution of G4 motifs and their potential role
in the regulation of gene transcription advocate for the use of G4 ligands to develop
novel antitubercular therapies. In this review, we discuss the various roles of G4
structures in bacterial DNA and the application of G4 DNA as inhibitors or therapeu
tic agents to address bacterial pathogens.