Base-pair opening is important for nucleic acids to exert biological functions, but studying its dynamics inside living cells is challenging. Here, the authors determine the base-pair opening kinetics of hairpin and G-quadruplex structures inside living human cells by the in-cell NMR technique, and demonstrate a difference in dynamics of nucleic acids between in-cell and in vitro conditions.
- Yudai Yamaoki
- Takashi Nagata
- Masato Katahira