DOTASQ as a prototype of nature-inspired G-quadruplex ligand

DOTASQ (for DOTA-templated Synthetic G-quartet) is the first prototype of nature-inspired G-quadruplex ligand: its design, founded on a possible intramolecular G-quartet formation, enables it to interact with G-quadruplex DNA via an unprecedented nature-mimicking binding mode, based on the association between two G-quartets, one being native (quadruplex) and the other one artificial (ligand).