Insights into the structural dynamics and helicase-catalyzed unfolding of plant RNA G-quadruplexes.

RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s) are noncanonical RNA secondary structures formed by guanine (G)-rich sequences. These complexes play important regulatory roles in both animals and plants through their structural dynamics and are closely related to human diseases and plant growth, development, and adaption. Thus, studying the structural dynamics of rG4s is fundamentally important; however, their folding pathways and their unfolding by specialized helicases are not well understood.

Single-Molecule Imaging in Living Plant Cells: A Methodological Review.

Single-molecule imaging is emerging as a revolutionary approach to studying fundamental questions in plants. However, compared with its use in animals, the application of single-molecule imaging in plants is still underexplored. Here, we review the applications, advantages, and challenges of single-molecule fluorescence imaging in plant systems from the perspective of methodology.

Studying the Potassium-Induced G-Quadruplex DNA Folding Process Using Microscale Thermophoresis.

Guanine (G) quadruplexes (G4s) can be formed by G-rich sequences when stabilized by the binding of cations (typically K or Na) and play an essential role in replication, recombination, transcription, and telomere maintenance. Understanding of the G4 folding process is crucial for determining their cellular functions. However, G4-K interactions and folding pathways are still not well understood.