Evaluation of the Stability of DNA i-Motifs in the Nuclei of Living Mammalian Cells

C-rich DNA has the capacity to form a tetra-stranded structure known as an i-motif. The i-motifs within genomic DNA have been proposed to contribute to the regulation of DNA transcription. However, direct experimental evidence for the existence of these structures invivo has been missing. Whether i-motif structures form in complex environment of living cells is not currently known. Herein, using state-of-the-art in-cell NMR spectroscopy, we evaluate the stabilities of i-motif structures in the complex cellular environment. We show that i-motifs formed from naturally occurring C-rich sequences in the human genome are stable and persist in the nuclei of living human cells. Our data show that i-motif stabilities invivo are generally distinct from those invitro. Our results are the first to interlink the stability of DNA i-motifs invitro with their stability invivo and provide essential information for the design and development of i-motif-based DNA biosensors for intracellular applications.