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Mass spectrometry of G‐quadruplex DNA: Formation, recognition, property, conversion, and conformation
Author(s) -
Yuan Gu,
Zhang Qiang,
Zhou Jiang,
Li Huihui
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
mass spectrometry reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 126
eISSN - 1098-2787
pISSN - 0277-7037
DOI - 10.1002/mas.20315
Subject(s) - chemistry , mass spectrometry , g quadruplex , electrospray ionization , intramolecular force , dna , small molecule , dissociation (chemistry) , stereochemistry , chromatography , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Abstract G‐quadruplexes are special secondary structures formed from G‐rich sequences of DNA, and have proven to play important roles in a number of biological systems, including the regulation of gene transcription and translation. The highly distinctive nature of G‐quadruplex structures and their functions suggest that G‐quadruplexes can act as novel targets for drug development. As a highly sensitive analytical tool, mass spectrometry has been widely used for the analysis of G‐quadruplex structures. Electrospray‐ionization mass spectrometry, in particular, has found captivating applications to probe interactions between small molecules and G‐quadruplex DNA. In this review, we will discuss: (1) mass spectrometry probing of the formation, binding affinity, and stoichiometry between G‐quadruplexes and small molecules; (2) stabilization and collision‐dissociation behavior of G‐quadruplex DNA; (3) the exploration of the equilibrium transfer between a G‐quadruplex and duplex DNA; and (4) the ESI‐MS analysis of the conversion of intramolecular and intermolecular G‐quadruplexes. Finally, we will also introduce the application of new techniques in the analysis of G‐quadruplex conformation, such as ion‐mobility and infrared multiphoton‐dissociation mass spectrometry. We believe that, with the new technical developments, mass spectrometry will play an unparalleled role in the analysis of the G‐quadruplex structures. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 30:1121–1142, 2011