The formation and stabilization of a novel G-quadruplex in the 5'-flanking region of the relaxin gene

PLoS One. 2012;7(2):e31201. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031201. Epub 2012 Feb 21.

Abstract

It has been reported that binding of STAT3 protein to the 5'-flanking region of the relaxin gene may result in downregulation of the relaxin expression. There is a Guanine(G)-rich segment located in about 3.8 Kb upstream of the relaxin gene and very close to the STAT3's binding site. In our study, NMR spectroscopy revealed the formation of G-quadruplex by this G-rich strand, and the result was confirmed by ESI mass spectrometry and CD spectroscopy. The theoretical structure of RLX G-quadruplex was constructed and refined by molecular modeling. When this relaxin G-quadruplex was stabilized by berberine(ΔTm = 10°C), a natural alkaloid from a Chinese herb, the gene expression could be up-regulated in a dose-dependent manner which was proved by luciferase assay. This result is different from the general G-quadruplex function that inhibiting the telomere replication or down-regulating many oncogenes expression. Therefore, our study reported a novel G-quadruplex in the relaxin gene and complemented the regulation mechanism about gene expression by G-quadruplexes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 5' Flanking Region / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Berberine / chemistry
  • Berberine / metabolism
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Enzyme Assays
  • G-Quadruplexes*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Luciferases / metabolism
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Rats
  • Relaxin / genetics*
  • Transition Temperature
  • Up-Regulation / genetics

Substances

  • Berberine
  • Relaxin
  • Luciferases