Study of structural polymorphism of mononucleotide guanine quadruplexes by optical spectroscopy methods

Annotation: Guanine quadruplexes (G4) are non-canonical secondary structures of nucleic acids that can form under suitable conditions in parts of DNA and RNA rich in guanine. Depending on the number of fibers forming the quadruplex, their orientation, and sequence, we distinguish a number of conformationally and structurally different types of quadruplexes. At high concentrations, similar structures - so-called mononucleotide guanine quadruplexes (mG4) - can also be formed by self-association of the free guanine mononucleotides themselves. G4 are currently being intensively studied, as recent studies have pointed to their regulatory function (they are found in the promoter sequences of some genes) and also their possible antitumor function. The content of the master's thesis will be an experimental study of the formation, structure, and stability of mG4 using optical spectroscopy methods. The aim of the work will be the determination of conformational markers for different types of quadruplexes and the characterization of differences in the structure of quadruplexes caused by different physical and chemical conditions.