- Discovery of the ‘i-motif’ form of DNA was made by researchers in Sydney
- It is unclear what the function is but it could be for ‘reading’ DNA sequences
- Although researchers have seen the i-motif before, it has only been witnessed under artificial conditions in the laboratory, and not inside cells
A new form of DNA has been discovered inside living human cells for the first time.
Named i-motif, the form looks like a twisted ‘knot’ of DNA rather than the well-known double helix.
It is unclear what the function of the i-motif is, but experts believe it could be for ‘reading’ DNA sequences and converting them into useful substances.