Special DNA structures regulate genes

Researchers from the Optics and Biosciences Laboratory (LOB*) participated in a study showing that certain three-dimensional structures of DNA, known as G-quadruplexes, play a key role in regulating gene expression in mammals.

This work was published in the journal Nature Genetics.

The scientific publication :

Esnault, C., Zine El Aabidine, A., Robert, MC. et al. G-quadruplexes are promoter elements controlling nucleosome exclusion and RNA polymerase II pausing. Nat Genet (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02263-6

*LOB: a joint research unit CNRS, Inserm, École Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91120 Palaiseau, France