A potential new generation of anti-cancer agents is on the horizon, if different DNA forms can be unravelled using new technology.

Although DNA often comes packaged as a double-helix, there are other folded structures of DNA that are also important. Quadruplex helices are also formed, particularly when the DNA sequence is guanine-rich and these, more complex structures, often play an important role in biological processes. Therefore, being able to recognise and discriminate between the different DNA structures could potentially be very useful.

Shankar Balasubramanian at the University of Cambridge, UK, and colleagues have turned their attention towards ligands that exploit a type of supramolecular interaction, known as p-p stacking. Their work concentrated on ligands that would selectively bind and stabilise the quadruplex-folded conformation of telomeric DNA. Telomerase is selectively expressed in most tumour cells and by stabilising it as the quadruplex its activity is inhibited. This work is part of a larger research programme and this exciting new area is inspiring work towards a potentially new generation of anti-cancer agents.

Vikki Allen