Biomimetics is defined as a “practice of making technological design that copies natural processes”, with the idea that “nature has already solved the challenges we are trying to solve” (Cambridge Dictionary). The challenge we decided to address several years ago was the selective targeting of G quadruplexes (G4s) by small molecules (G4 ligands). Why? Because G4s, which are four-stranded DNA and RNA structures that fold from guanine (G)-rich sequences, are suspected to play key biological roles in human cells and diseases. Selective G4 ligands can thus be used as small-molecule modulators to gain a deep understanding of cell circuitry where G4s are involved, thus complying with the very definition of chemical biology (Stuart Schreiber) applied here to G4 biology. How? Following a biomimetic approach that hinges on the observation that G4s are stable secondary structures owing to the ability of Gs to self-associate to form G quartets, and then of G quartets to self-stack to form the columnar core of G4s. Therefore, using a synthetic G quartet as a G4 ligand represents a unique example of biomimetic recognition of G4s.

中文翻译：

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模板组装合成 G-Quartets (TASQ)：用于研究 DNA 和 RNA G-四链体生物学的 multiTASQing 分子工具

仿生学被定义为“进行复制自然过程的技术设计的实践”，其理念是“自然已经解决了我们正在努力解决的挑战”（剑桥词典）。几年前我们决定解决的挑战是通过小分子（G4 配体）选择性靶向 G 四联体 (G4s)。为什么？因为 G4 是由富含鸟嘌呤 (G) 的序列折叠而成的四链 DNA 和 RNA 结构，因此被怀疑在人类细胞和疾病中发挥着关键的生物学作用。因此，选择性 G4 配体可用作小分子调节剂，以深入了解细胞电路其中涉及 G4，因此符合此处应用于 G4 生物学的化学生物学定义（Stuart Schreiber）。如何？遵循一种仿生方法，该方法依赖于观察到 G4 是稳定的二级结构，因为 Gs 能够自结合形成 G 四重奏，然后 G 四重奏自堆叠形成 G4s 的柱状核心。因此，使用合成的 G 四联体作为 G4 配体代表了 G4 仿生识别的一个独特例子。