Synthesis of DNA G-quadruplex Stabilizing Isatin Derivatives

G-quadruplexes(G4) are secondary structures that are assembled in guanine-rich sequences of nucleic acids. G4s are naturally occurring, and have been identified in telomeric and gene promoter regions. Structural and functional studies have shown that G4s are involved in a wide range of biological processes, such as DNA replication and cancer progression. Because these structures are part of such a large array of functions, the G-Quad Clark group aims to develop small molecules in order to stabilize the G-quadruplex structure. Currently, the G-Quad subgroup is developing novel isoindigo derivatives that have demonstrated strong inhibitory potential in preliminary computational studies.