{
  "abstract": "G-quadruplexes (G4s) are widely studied noncanonical nucleic-acid structures that carry important biological functions. Typically, G4s form from G-rich sequences containing at least four tracts of more than two consecutive guanines, yet a plethora of unconventional G4-forming sequences have been identified, including sequences that fold into G4s only under specific conditions. These G4 states remain poorly resolved. Here we identify dehydration-responsive left-handed G4s (drLHG4s), a class of left-handed G4 (LHG4) structures accessible under dehydrating conditions. Using d(GT)n repeats, we show that left-handed folding depends on repeat length, salt condition and solvent conditions. Systematic mutational analysis reveals a broader but register-constrained sequence space, while high-resolution crystal structures of d-GTGGTGTGTGGTG, a sequence that folded robustly under dehydrating conditions, establish a bulged LHG4 architecture and reveal a distinctive hydration sphere. We further show that selected peptides and a cationic zinc phthalocyanine derivative, ZnTEGQPyrPc, containing four triethylene glycol methyl ether tails can induce LHG4 states. Together, our findings reveal a dehydration-responsive G4 landscape and expand the experimentally accessible sequence space of LHG4 folding.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Inserm / Ecole Polytechnique"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Y. Chen"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Hendrickson"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Gros"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. Xing"
    },
    {
      "name": "E. R. Windle"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Wang"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. M. Edkins"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. J. Quinn"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. A. Yatsunyk"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "J.-L. Mergny"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/da5fqeh74hwnv.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.05.756892",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756892v1.full",
  "id": "da5fqeh74hwnv",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756892v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "biophysics"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7221822777",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756892v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-05",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/da5fqeh74hwnv.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:27:48Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.05.756892",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756892v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "biorxiv:biophysics",
      "subfield": "biophysics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Dehydration-Responsive Left-Handed G-Quadruplexes Expandthe Sequence Repertoire",
  "title_text": "Dehydration-Responsive Left-Handed G-Quadruplexes Expandthe Sequence Repertoire",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:27:48Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/da5fqeh74hwnv",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}