Toward a digital gene response: RNA G-quadruplexes with fewer quartets fold with higher cooperativity.

Changes in RNA conformation can alter gene expression. The guanine quadruplex sequence (GQS) is an RNA motif that folds in the presence of K(+) ions. Changes in the conformation of this motif could be especially important in regulating gene expression in plants because intracellular K(+) concentrations often increase during drought stress.

RNA G-Quadruplexes in the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana: prevalence and possible functional roles.

Tandem stretches of guanines can associate in hydrogen-bonded arrays to form G-quadruplexes, which are stabilized by K(+) ions. Using computational methods, we searched for G-Quadruplex Sequence (GQS) patterns in the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana. We found ∼ 1200 GQS with a G(3) repeat sequence motif, most of which are located in the intergenic region.