Conformational Propensities of a DNA Hairpin with a Stem Sequence from the c-MYC Promoter.

Summary: Inside our cells, DNA usually looks like a twisted ladder. But sometimes, it folds into special 3D shapes like hairpins or knots. One very important gene that can cause cancer, called c-MYC, has a special DNA switch that can form these knots (called G-quadruplexes). Scientists studied how this DNA switch folds and changes its shape. Understanding exactly how these DNA shapes form might help us design new drugs to turn off cancer genes in the future!