G-quadruplexes and i-motifs: Emerging regulatory elements in plant genomes.
Yan Z, Yang B, Ding Y
Crop Improvement
The switches that tell a tomato when to ripen, a wheat plant when to flower, or a drought-stressed corn plant which survival genes to activate may be hiding in overlooked DNA structures we're only now learning to read — and cracking that code could lead to crops that handle heat waves and dry spells far better than today's varieties.
Deep inside plant cells, strands of DNA don't always sit in the familiar double helix — sometimes they fold into quirky knot-like shapes that act as on/off switches for nearby genes. Researchers have found these shapes scattered throughout plant genomes, especially near the control panels of important genes. Figuring out how they work could give breeders entirely new tools to develop plants that grow better under tough conditions.
Key Findings
G-quadruplexes and i-motifs are concentrated in plant promoter regions and untranslated regions (UTRs), suggesting they directly influence gene expression at multiple regulatory levels.
AI-driven prediction methods outperform traditional computational approaches in identifying these DNA structures across plant genomes, accelerating discovery.
Functional research on these structures in plants lags significantly behind animal studies, representing a major knowledge gap with untapped potential for crop improvement.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists are discovering that plant DNA can fold into unusual twisted shapes called G-quadruplexes and i-motifs, and these structures act like molecular switches that control which genes get turned on or off. AI tools are now helping researchers find these structures across plant genomes, opening a new frontier in understanding how plants regulate themselves.
Abstract Preview
G-quadruplexes (G4s) and i-motifs (iMs) are emerging as key cis-regulatory elements in plant genomes, functioning at both DNA and RNA levels. This review summarizes recent progress in their identif...
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