Recent Advancements in Natural and Synthetic DNA/RNA G-Quadruplex Binders

Dear Colleagues,

Nucleic acid fragments rich in guanosine form characteristic spatial structures called G-quadruplexes. These structures are formed as a result of the interaction of four guanosines, stabilized by metal ions, e.g., Na⁺ or K⁺, and are involved in a number of key genome functions, e.g., transcription and replication. The compounds, both of synthetic or natural origins, that are able to effectively bind G-quadruplex may be of potential use in the fields of cancer therapy, antiviral therapy, and neuropharmacology, or to design the G-quadruplex probes. As the G-quadruplex ligands are considered to be of potential use in targeting various diseases, the interest in the area of research focused on these structures has been substantially increasing. This Special Issue welcomes papers covering all aspects of G-quadruplex ligands: their synthesis, search for effective natural ligands, stabilities of the G-quadruplex-ligand species, and mechanism of the interaction between the ligands and G-quadruplexes, as well as those focused on the pharmaceutic potential of the ligands. Interested authors are invited to submit manuscripts reporting the investigation of physicochemical and/or biochemical properties of G-quadruplex-ligand species with computational and/or physicochemical methods, as well as reviews in this area of research.

Dr. Magdalena Frańska
Guest Editor

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