Potential uses of G-quadruplex-forming aptamers

Guanine quadruplex (G-quadruplex) structures are one of a number of structures which are capable of adopting aptamers. G-rich DNA or RNA has an increased propensity to form quadruplex structures which have unusual biophysical and biological properties. G-rich aptamers which form G-quadruplexes have several advantages over unstructured sequences: G-quadruplexes are non-immunogenic, thermodynamically and chemically stable and they have both higher resistance to various serum nucleases and an enhanced cellular uptake. These advantages have led to a number of synthetic oligonucleotides being studied for their potential use as therapeutic agents for cancer therapy and in the treatment of various other diseases. In addition to their suitability in the fields of medicine and biotechnology, these, highly specified, aptameric G-quadruplexes also have great potential in the further development of nano-devices; e.g. basic components in microarrays, microfluidics, sandwich assays and electrochemical biosensors. This review summarizes the biophysical properties of G-quadruplexes and highlights the importance of the stability and recognition properties of aptamers. Examples of the application of aptamers in medical therapy and in biosensors are also discussed.