A Politecnico di Milano study reveals DNA "grammar". Genome biology published a research on the rules governing the shape of DNA in space

DNA three-dimensional structure is determined by a series of spatial rules based on particular protein sequences and their order. This was the finding of a study recently published in Genome Biology by Luca Nanni, one of PhD students in Computer Science and Engineering, together with Professors Stefano Ceri of DEIB and Colin Logie of the University of Nijmegen (Netherlands).

Luca Nanni explains: “Our study’s greatest innovation lies in having identified precise rules for the disposition ofCTCF proteins. [...] Knowing these rules allow CTCF sequences to be engineered to obtain the desired DNA three-dimensional structure. For example, it should be possible to make two disconnected genes interact. Moulding DNA structure will open doors to the creation of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of diseases such as cancer.”

The article: https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-020-02108-x