Stabilization of G-quadruplex DNA by highly selective ligands via click chemistry.

A series of G-quadruplex stabilizing compounds have been prepared via click chemistry employing the Cu(I)-catalyzed Huisgen reaction. These compounds were shown to bind tightly to G-quadruplex DNA even in the presence of competing high concentrations of duplex DNA. Furthermore, a modified TRAP assay has shown that some of these compounds also inhibit telomerase at low micromolar concentration.