The DNA guanine quadruplexes (G4) play important roles in multiple cellular processes, including DNA replication, transcription and maintenance of genome stability. Here, we showed that Yin and Yang 1 (YY1) can bind directly to G4 structures. ChIP–seq results revealed that YY1-binding sites overlap extensively with G4 structure loci in chromatin. We also observed that the dimerization of YY1 and its binding with G4 structures contribute to YY1-mediated long-range DNA looping. Displacement of YY1 from G4 structure sites disrupts substantially the YY1-mediated DNA looping. Moreover, treatment with G4-stabilizing ligands modulates the expression of not only those genes with G4 structures in their promoters, but also those associated with distal G4 structures that are brought to close proximity via YY1-mediated DNA looping. Together, we identified YY1 as a DNA G4-binding protein, and revealed that YY1-mediated long-range DNA looping requires its dimerization and occurs, in part, through its recognition of G4 structure.

DNA 鸟嘌呤四链体 (G4) 在多个细胞过程中发挥重要作用，包括 DNA 复制、转录和基因组稳定性的维持。在这里，我们表明阴阳 1 (YY1) 可以直接绑定到 G4 结构。ChIP-seq 结果表明，YY1 结合位点与染色质中的 G4 结构位点广泛重叠。我们还观察到 YY1 的二聚化及其与 G4 结构的结合有助于 YY1 介导的长程 DNA 环化。YY1 从 G4 结构位点的位移显着破坏了 YY1 介导的 DNA 环化。此外，用 G4 稳定配体处理不仅可以调节启动子中具有 G4 结构的那些基因的表达，还可以调节那些与通过 YY1 介导的 DNA 环接近的远端 G4 结构相关的基因的表达。一起，