PubMed · 2026-03-11
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.
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.