Figure 5. Potential G4 formation during mtDNA replication, transcription and translation.
G4 structures can form in single-stranded nucleic acids. (A) During mtDNA replication, the displaced G-rich heavy strand is a potential hotspot for the G4 formation, which would arrest the mitochondrial replication machinery (green) during second strand synthesis. (B) A model of transcription inhibition by G4 structures. The unresolved G4 structures would occur in the mtDNA template strand preventing the polymerase (blue) activity. (C) A model of translation inhibition by G4 structures forming in the mRNA.